GED® TEST REASONING

THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS

(RLA) REVIEW
 Other titles of interest from LearningExpress

GED® Test Preparation

GED® Test Mathematical Reasoning Review
®
GED Test Flash Review: Mathematical Reasoning
GED® Test Flash Review: Reasoning through Language Arts
GED® Test Flash Review: Science
GED® Test Flash Review: Social Studies
 GED TEST
®

REASONING
THROUGH
LANGUAGE
ARTS (RLA)
REVIEW

NE W Y O RK
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ISBN-13: 978-1-61103-048-8

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987654321

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 CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to the GED® RLA Test 1

About the GED® RLA Test 2
Question Types 2
How to Use This Book 7
Test Taking Tips 7
Eliminating Answer Choices 9
Keeping Track of Time 10
Preparing for the Test 11
The Big Day 12
Good Luck! 12

CHAPTER 2 Diagnostic Test 13

Part I 17
Part II 29
Answers and Explanations 30

CHAPTER 3 Reading Comprehension: Big Picture Tools 37

Reading the Passages 38
Tips for Fiction Passages 40
Tips for Nonfiction Passages 41
Author’s Purpose 42
Point of View 45
Theme 47
Synthesis 51
Reading More Closely 55

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 –C O N T E N T S –

Interpreting What You Read 57

Quiz 59
Answers and Explanations 62
Review 65

CHAPTER 4 Reading Comprehension: Close-Reading Skills 67

Make Connections 67
Main Idea and Supporting Details 68
Reading Comprehension Review 73
Summarizing 77
Fact and Opinion 79
Organizational Structure 81
Inferences 87
Making Comparisons between Passages 89
Quiz 90
Answers and Explanations 97
Review 101

CHAPTER 5 Language and Grammar: Reading Skills 103

Word Parts 103
Parts of Speech 106
Context Clues 118
Multiple Meaning Words 119
Frequently Confused Words and Homonyms 120
Literary Devices 121
Language and Grammar Review 123
Answers and Explanations 125
Review 128

CHAPTER 6 Language and Grammar: Grammar Skills 129

GED® Test Strategies 129
Sentence Construction 130
Capitalization 136
Using Apostrophes to Create Possessive Nouns and Contractions 140
Sentence Punctuation 142
Sentence Structure 145
Usage 145
Mechanics 146
Organization 146
Quiz 148
Answers and Explanations 149
Review 151

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CHAPTER 7 The Extended Response Essay: Tips and Scoring 153

About the GED® Test Extended Response Question 153
Before You Write Your Essay 154
What’s in an Essay 155
How Your Essay Will Be Scored 160
Extended Response Practice 163
Extended Response Practice Sample Essays 169

CHAPTER 8 The Extended Response Essay: Planning and Revising 173

How to Write a Powerful Essay 173
Thinking Styles 174
Organization of Your Essay 179
Example of an Extended Response Essay 181
Revising an Essay 189
Sample Extended Response Question 189
Practice Essay 191
The Final Steps 195
Quiz 195
Answers and Explanations 198
A Final Word 206
Review 208

CHAPTER 9 GED® RLA Practice Test 1 209

Part I 210
Part II 226
Answers and Explanations 232

CHAPTER 10 GED® RLA Practice Test 2 249

Part I 250
Part II 267
Answers and Explanations 275

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 GED® TEST REASONING
THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS
(RLA) REVIEW
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 1
C H A P T E R

INTRODUCTION TO
THE GED® RLA TEST

T his book is designed to help people master the basic reading skills and concepts required to do well on
the GED® Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) test. Many people who are preparing for this par-
ticular GED® test have not been in a school setting for some time. This means reading skills have gotten
rusty or have been forgotten altogether. Others may have been in a school setting, but have not mastered various
essential reading skills. By focusing on basic reading skills, this book will give its readers a better grasp of key
reading concepts.
This book is not designed to prepare people to take the GED® test immediately afterward. Instead, its goal
is to provide the necessary foundation of reading skills required for the GED® Reasoning through Language
Arts test. Without these fundamental skills, it would be difficult for a person to prepare for the test effectively,
much less earn a passable score. However, once these basic reading skills are understood, a person is then on the
right path toward learning the concepts needed to succeed on this particular GED® test.

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About the GED ® RLA Test
In previous versions of the GED® test, the Language
Arts section was divided into two separate tests:
Reading and Writing. The new GED® test combines
these into a single test. Questions in this section will
ask you to do things like identify the main idea or
theme in a reading passage or determine the mean-
ings of words within a passage. The RLA section also
tests your knowledge of grammar, sentence structure,
and the mechanics of language. Sharpening your
reading and writing skills is important for the GED®
test, and not only for the Reasoning through Lan-
guage Arts section: The GED® Social Studies test and
the GED® Science test also measure your ability to
understand and communicate ideas through writing.
The Reasoning through Language Arts test will
contain a number of reading passages, each 400 to
900 words in length. Approximately 75% of these
passages will be nonfiction, and the other 25% will be
fiction.
Because the new GED® test is all given on the
computer, you will see a number of different question
types that are more interactive than the usual multi-
ple-choice questions.
How Is the Test Delivered?
You will take your GED® test on a computer.
Although you absolutely do not need to be a com-
puter expert to take the GED® test, you should be
comfortable using a mouse and typing on a
keyboard.
2
How Long Is the Test?
You can choose to take all four GED® tests at once, or
you can take each test separately. The entire exam will
take about seven hours to complete. The timing for
each subject area alone is as follows:
n Mathematical Reasoning—115 minutes
n Reasoning through Language Arts—150 minutes
(including a 10-minute break)
n Science—90 minutes
n Social Studies—90 minutes
Question Types
The traditional multiple-choice questions will still be
the main type you will see on the RLA test, and each
item will have four possible answer choices to select
from. This is a change from previous GED® tests,
which had five choices for each multiple-choice item.
There is still only one correct answer choice for each
item. This eliminates the possibility of answer choices
such as “All of the above” or “Both A and B,” and
allows you to focus on selecting the one correct
answer.
On the RLA test, all multiple-choice items will
refer to a reading passage; each passage will be followed
by six to eight items. The layout for multiple-choice
items related to a passage will be split-screen—the
passage will appear on the left, and the multiple-
choice items will appear on the right.
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Drag and Drop
For these questions, you will need to click on the cor-
rect object, hold down the mouse, and drag the object
Of course, within this book you can’t drag and drop
items. For the purposes of GED® Test Reasoning
through Language Arts (RLA) Review, you will choose
from a list of items, as you would on a typical drag-
and-drop question, and write the correct answer(s) in
the appropriate spot.
to the appropriate place in the problem, diagram,
chart, or graph that you’re given.
Drop Down
In drop-down questions, you will need to select the
answer or phrase to complete a sentence or problem
from a menu that drops down with the click of a
button.
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Drop-down questions are very similar to multiple-
choice questions, so you will not see them in the two
tests within this book.
The fill-in-the-blank questions in this book look
almost exactly like the ones you’ll encounter in the
online test, but here you will of course have to write
in your answer instead of typing it.
4
Fill-in-the-Blank
These questions ask you to manually type in
answer(s) to a problem rather than choose from sev-
eral choices.
Hot Spot
For hot-spot questions, you will be asked to click on
an area of the screen to indicate where the correct
answer is located. For instance, you may be asked to
plot a point by clicking on the corresponding online
graph or to click on a certain area of a map.
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In this book, you will be asked to draw a dot on a spe-
cific point or to circle a certain part of a diagram.
Short Answer
Short-answer questions are similar to fill-in-the-
blank questions—you must type your response on
Like fill-in-the-blank questions, short-answer ques-
tions in this book look as they will online—you will
just write in your answer instead of typing it.
Extended Response
For extended response questions on the RLA exam
you will be given 45 minutes to read one or two infor-
mational articles (a total of 550 to 650 words) and
type a response on a computer using a simple word-
processing program. This question requires you to
read the prompt (the passage provided), create an
the provided lines. However, these questions require
you to write a paragraph instead of a word or two,
usually in response to a passage or an image. Each
should take about 10 minutes to answer.
argument based on it, and write a strong essay with
evidence and examples.
When using this book, you can choose to either
hand-write your essay or type it on a computer.
When and Where Can I Take
the Test?
There are three testing opportunities per year in each
subject area. To find a GED® test center, visit the link
below, choose your location, and enter your zip code:
www.gedtestingservice.com/testers/
locate-a-testing-center.
5
 – I NT RO D U C T I O N T O T H E G E D ® R L A T E S T –
You can sign up for any or all of the GED® tests
online at this link, depending on the availability of
spots in your area.
How Much Will the Test Cost?
Each of the four GED® tests costs $30, for a total of
$120 for all four tests. You can pay for any or all parts
of the test you are ready to take. There may be addi-
tional fees, depending on the state in which you take
the test. Check the official GED® test website for
complete test information.
How Are the Tests Scored?
A minimum score of 145 is required to pass each test.
Each question on the GED® test is assigned a differ-
ent point value depending on its difficulty. You will
find out your score or scores on the same day you
take the exam.
Passage Types for Reading Questions
Twenty-five percent of the reading passages on the
RLA test will be literature. This includes historical
and modern fiction, as well as nonfiction like biogra-
phies or essays. You might generally think of litera-
ture as fiction (invented stories), but literary texts can
also be nonfiction (true stories).
Seventy-five percent of the reading passages will
be from informational texts, including workplace
documents (like memos or letters). These passages
will often cover topics in social studies and science.
The RLA test also will feature historical passages that
are considered part of the “Great American Conver-
sation.” These include documents, essays, and
speeches that have helped shaped American history.
6
Reasoning through Language Arts
There are 48 questions and one Extended Response
question on the RLA test. You will have 150 minutes
to complete the entire exam, with one 10-minute
scheduled break.
For most of the questions on the RLA test, you
will be given a reading passage, followed by 6 to 8
questions that test your ability to understand and
analyze what you have read.
Drop-down items are mostly used on the GED®
RLA exam to test grammar and English-language
mechanics. Drop-down questions are inserted in the
middle of paragraphs. You will be asked to “drop
down” a menu with several sentence choices, and
choose the one that fits best grammatically in the
sentence.
There are no poetry or drama passages on the
RLA test.
Extended Response Question
As you learned earlier in the chapter, the extended
response item requires you to find and use informa-
tion from the reading passage (or passages) to answer
the question in a well-thought-out essay. You will be
asked to analyze an issue and likely also asked to pro-
vide an opinion on what you have read. You will have
45 minutes of your total RLA time to complete this
essay—that includes brainstorming, writing a draft,
writing a final version, and proofreading your work.
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How to Use This Book
In addition to this introduction, GED® Test Reasoning
through Language Arts (RLA) Review also contains the
following:
n The LearningExpress Test Preparation System.
Being a good test taker can boost anyone’s GED®
test score. Many of the skills and strategies cov-
ered in this book will be familiar to anyone who
has taken many multiple-choice tests, but there is
a large difference between being “familiar with
the strategy” and being “excellent at using the
strategy.” Our goal is to get you into that second
category, and this chapter offers you the means to
do so.
n A Diagnostic Exam. It’s always helpful to see
where your reading skills stand. Therefore, we
recommend taking the diagnostic test before
starting on the content chapters. By taking the
diagnostic test, you should be able to determine
the content areas in which you are strongest and
the areas in which you might need more help. For
example, if you miss most of your questions on
the nonfiction passages, then you know that you
should pay extra attention when the book dis-
cusses the best ways to approach nonfiction
passages.
The diagnostic test does not count for any
score, so don’t get caught up on how many you
got right or wrong. Instead, use the results of the
diagnostic test to help guide your study of the
content chapters.
n Content Chapters. These chapters form the heart
of the book. Here we cover the basic reading con-
cepts discussed earlier. To help you understand all
these ideas, every chapter has sample questions,
helpful tips, and summaries, as well as explana-
tions of the concepts being discussed. We recom-
mend reading these chapters in order and not
skipping around, as many of the concepts in the
earlier chapters are built on in the later chapters.
n Two Practice Tests. Once you have a better grasp
of the basic reading skills, the best thing to do is
to practice those skills. Both our practice tests are
designed to be similar to the real GED® Reason-
ing through Language Arts test in terms of ques-
tion types and passage content.
Taking these tests under timed conditions
will help you gain familiarity with taking a timed
reading test, which can help you in your GED®
test preparations. However, if you would prefer to
work on the questions untimed in order to focus
on mastering the basic concepts of the content
chapters, that’s not a bad idea, either. Either way
is helpful preparation.
Test Taking Tips
Selecting the Best Answer
You know all the reasons why test takers should read
the passages and questions carefully. Now comes the
part that makes all the difference: selecting the best
answer. When all is said and done, this is the part of
the test that matters most. To do well on the GED®
test, it is essential that you select the best possible
answer to each question.
Try to Answer the Question before
Reading the Choices
As soon as you finish reading the question, think
about what the best answer would be. Then, see if your
answer is among the choices listed. If so, there’s a good
chance that it is correct, but don’t mark the answer
right away. Read all the choices first to be sure your
answer is really the most complete option.
Read Every Choice
As you read the answer choices, you may determine
that the first choice looks really great. But don’t stop
there! Read every single choice, no matter how won-
derful any one of them appears to be. You may find
that one of the first answers looks good but that the
last one is even better.
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Read Each Choice Carefully
Remember how important it is to be sure you read
every single word in a question? The same holds true
for reading each answer choice. Read each choice
slowly and carefully, paying attention to every word.
Take the time to read each answer choice twice before
making your selection. Slight differences in wording
can make one answer choice better than the others.
Use the Information in the Passage
Make sure that you choose an answer based solely on
the information in the passage. You may already know
a lot about the topic, which is great; however, the cor-
rect answers are in the passage. This test is not asking
about what you knew before you read the material; it
only wants to find out whether you are able to identify
the correct information in this text.
Avoid Careless Mistakes
There will probably be answers you know right off the
bat. Don’t rush on these. Even if a question appears to
be easy, read the question and answer choices carefully
before making your selection. Careless mistakes can
lower your score.
Watch Out for Absolutes
If certain words are found in answer choices, they
should catch your attention. Look for words such as
these:
n always n forever
n never n every
It is unlikely that the correct answer choice includes
these inflexible words. Very few things are always true
or never occur. Be suspicious if an answer choice sug-
gests otherwise.
Pay Attention to Except and Not
Be sure you read every word in a question and pay
close attention to the words except and not. It is easy to
8
overlook these words by reading too quickly, and they
completely change the question.
One trick for correctly answering these ques-
tions is to cover except or not, read the question, then
look for the answer choice that does not belong.
Read Each Question for What It Is
Have you ever read a test question and wondered,
“What is this really asking?” It can be easy to read too
much into a question. Try not to do that on this test.
The good news is, there are no trick questions on the
GED® test. Just pay attention to what is being asked
and select the best answer.
Choose the Best Answer
As you look through all the answer choices, you may
find that more than one could be correct. Make sure
that the answer you choose most completely answers
the question. Just because a statement is true or looks
like an acceptable choice does not mean it is the best
answer. Carefully evaluate each choice before making
a selection. Also, make sure your choice is the best
answer based on the passage, not based on your own
assumptions or beliefs.
TIP
Tempting answer choices are often listed
before the best answer choice. Read all the
answers carefully and make sure you com-
pletely understand each option before
selecting the best response.
Read the Question Again
After you have selected your answer, read the question
one more time. Make sure that your choice actually
answers the question that was asked. Read the ques-
tion, the appropriate section of the passage, and any
visual aids, then read your answer choice. Does your
 – I NT RO D U C T I O N T O T H E G E D ® R L A T E S T –
answer make sense? If so, great! If not, now is your
chance to try again.
Trust Your Instincts
Did you know that your first answer is usually correct?
If you know that you have carefully read the passage
and each answer choice, you have probably selected
your best choice.
You may have time at the end of the test to look
back over some of your answers. Unless you find an
obvious mistake that you are certain about, don’t
change your answers. Research has shown that your
first answer is usually right.
Answer Every Question
Make sure you do not leave any answers blank. Any
question that is not answered is considered wrong, so
take your best guess. There is no guessing penalty, so
it is better to guess than to not answer a question.
BOOST
If you have been diagnosed as having a
learning disability or physical handicap, you
may be entitled to special accommodations
for taking the GED® test. Be sure to check
with the testing center you will be attending
ahead of time to find out what, if any, docu-
mentation you might need to provide.
Eliminating Answer Choices
There may be times when you have no idea which
answer choice is correct, and your only option is to
take your best guess. In this situation, it is important
to eliminate as many incorrect answer choices as pos-
sible, then select among those that remain.
Think of it this way: If you randomly choose one
of the four answer choices, you have a 1 in 4 chance of
getting it right. That’s a 25% chance. Not bad, but
definitely not in your best interest.
Suppose you are able to eliminate one of the
answer choices. Now, you have a 1 in 3 chance of
guessing correctly. Your odds just increased to 33%.
Eliminate two choices and you have a 1 in 2 chance of
answering correctly. This 50% chance of getting the
answer right is much better than what you started
with. Now, your random guess is much more likely to
be the correct answer.
A few hints follow on how to make your best
guess. These are only hints and will not work every
single time. It is always better to use what you know and
select the best answer based on the passage. Use these
hints if your only option is making a random guess.
Look for Similar Answers
If you find that two of the answer choices are almost
exactly the same, with the exception of a few words,
eliminate the other answers and select between these
two.
Also Look for Opposite Answers
You may notice that two of the answer choices are
opposites.
Which is true about the duck-billed platypus?
a. It lays eggs.
b. It is a bird.
c. It does not lay eggs.
d. It is a vegetarian.
Notice that choices a and c are opposites, and obvi-
ously, both cannot be correct. So, you can automati-
cally eliminate at least one of these answers. In this
case, choice a happens to be correct. However, keep in
mind that in another question, it is possible that both
of the opposite answers could be wrong.
Get Rid of Extremes
Sometimes one answer may seem very different from
the rest. In this case, eliminate the extreme answer.
9
 – I NT RO D U C T I O N T O T H E G E D ® R L A T E S T –
Where did the story take place?
a. Alabama
b. Florida
c. Georgia
d. Paraguay
The answer choices here include three southern states
and a foreign country. Paraguay seems a little extreme
among the other choices in the list. If you are going to
try to eliminate an answer so that you can make your
best guess, Paraguay might be the most logical choice
to eliminate.
Look for Grammatical Hints
Some questions may require you to choose the answer
choice that correctly completes a sentence. Look for
any choices that do not fit grammatically and elimi-
nate these. For example, if the beginning of the sen-
tence is written in past tense and an answer choice is
in present tense, there’s a good chance that the answer
is incorrect.
If you are asked to choose a missing word or to
identify a word with the same meaning, eliminate any
choices that are a different part of speech.
The attorney was late for the meeting and asked
us to brief her quickly on what had taken place
so far.
What best tells the meaning of brief in the
sentence?
a. concise without detail
b. to summarize in writing
c. a synopsis of a document
d. to give necessary information
In the sentence, brief is a verb, so the correct answer
will also be a verb. Choice a is an adjective, and choice
c is a noun. These can be eliminated, leaving only
answers b and d, which are both verbs. In this case, d
is the best choice.
10
Keeping Track of Time
Remember that this is a timed test. Being aware of how
much time has passed and how much time remains
can make a tremendous difference in your overall
performance.
Wear a Watch
Be sure to wear a watch on the day of the test. Check
the time as the test begins and figure out the time at
which the test will end. The test administrator will
probably update you on how much time remains
throughout the test. However, it’s a good idea to be
able to check for yourself.
Don’t Rush
Remember the old saying “Slow and steady wins the
race”? Yes, there is a time limit. Yes, you need to pace
yourself. However, if you rush, you’ll be more likely to
make mistakes. Work quickly, but most important,
work carefully.
It’s better to answer some of the questions and get
them right than to answer most of the questions
and get them wrong.
Keep an eye on your watch, but keep your focus on
doing your best.
TIP
Most people who have not passed the GED®
test actually had the knowledge needed to
pass. So what was the problem? They ran
out of time. Don’t let this happen to you!
Pace yourself, monitor the time, and keep
moving.
Use Your Time Wisely
Don’t spend too much time trying to select a single
answer. If a question has you stumped, take your best
 – I NT RO D U C T I O N T O T H E G E D ® R L A T E S T –
guess and move on. You can always come back later if
you have extra time at the end. Wasting time on one
tricky question can prevent you from having time to
answer another that you might think is a breeze.
TIP
Sometimes, if you skip a tough question and
come back to it later, you will find it easier to
answer the second time around. Information
and clues in other questions may help you
figure out the best answer.
Wrap Things Up at the End
You already know the importance of keeping an eye
on the time. If you find that there are only a couple of
minutes left and you have not yet finished the test,
start guessing. Any answer that is left blank will auto-
matically be marked wrong. Go ahead and take a stab
at any remaining questions; quickly get an answer
marked for every test item. At this point, what have
you got to lose? You may or may not get them right,
but at least you tried, and as previously noted, there is
no guessing penalty.
Preparing for the Test
Like so many things, the key to doing well on the
GED® test is preparation. You’re already on the right
track by reading these chapters. A few other tips to
help you prepare are discussed in this section.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Taking a practice test, such as the ones in this book, is
a terrific way to be sure you are ready. These practice
tests help you in several ways:
n You will know what types of questions to expect.
n You will become comfortable with the format of
the test.
n You will learn about your own strengths and
weaknesses.
n You will be aware of what you need to study.
As you take the practice tests, pay attention to the
types of questions you get right and those that are
more challenging. For example, you may find that the
questions about main ideas are really easy. That’s
great! You might also find that you miss a lot of the
questions that deal with themes. No problem. Now
you know what skills to study.
Create Opportunities for Even
More Practice
You probably read different types of passages all the
time, either in magazines or newspapers, in novels, or
on the Internet. As you read, think about the types of
questions you will find on the GED® test. Then, ask
yourself questions about your reading material. For
example, you might ask yourself:
n What is the main idea of the passage I just read?
n What details support the main idea?
n What were the conflict and resolution in this
story?
n What context clues helped me determine the
meanings of unfamiliar words?
n What is the theme (or tone or mood) of the
passage?
Another idea is to work with a friend and write ques-
tions for each other based on passages you select. You
could also summarize passages, underline key words,
circle the main idea of each paragraph, and highlight
supporting details.
Know Yourself
Figure out what works best for you. For example, not
everyone benefits from reading the questions before
reading the passage. Some people may find it helpful
to scan a passage for the main idea before reading;
others may not. Try different strategies as you work
11
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through the practice questions and pay attention to
which strategies you find most comfortable and most
beneficial.
Be Ready the Day Before the Test
Being ready mentally and physically can help you do
your best on the test. Here are some suggestions:
n Start studying and preparing in advance; don’t
plan on cramming for the test in the few days
before you are scheduled to take it.
n The day before the test, take a break and relax. Go
for a walk, call a friend, or see a movie. Don’t stay
up late to study.
n Have anything you want to take with you ready
ahead of time. Set out your pencils, sweater,
watch, or anything else that you need to take to
the test location in the morning.
n Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before
the test. If you’re concerned that you won’t be
able to fall asleep, get up extra early the morning
before the test. That way, you’ll be ready for bed
early that evening.
The Big Day
You’ve studied, you’re well rested, and now you’re
ready to take the GED® Reasoning through Language
Arts exam! Now that test day is here, make the most
of it.
Get Off to a Good Start
First, set your alarm early enough so that you won’t
have to rush. Not only will you feel more relaxed and
have time to get settled before the test starts, but you
also might not be allowed to enter the testing center if
you are late. Make sure that being on time is one thing
you won’t have to worry about.
Then, be sure to eat a well-balanced breakfast.
You need to keep your energy up, and you certainly
don’t want to be distracted by the sound of your stom-
12
ach growling. If today is going to be a long day of test-
ing, bring a bottle of water, a piece of fruit, or some
trail mix to snack on between sessions.
Also, dress in comfortable, layered clothes and
bring a sweater. Feeling like your shoes are too tight or
being too hot or too cold can be distractions. Do
everything you can to be sure you feel great and are on
top of your game today!
Keep Your Cool
You’ve studied, you’ve practiced, and now you’re
ready. Don’t let your nerves get the best of you. Get-
ting worked up will not help you get your highest
possible score. In the overall scheme of things, the
GED® test is just a test. If things don’t go as well as
you’d hoped today, consider this a practice run. You
have three chances in a calendar year to pass the test.
Try to stay calm and focus on doing your best.
Carefully Read the Directions
If you are unsure about the directions or what exactly
you are supposed to do, be sure to ask the test admin-
istrator before you begin the test. He or she cannot
help you with specific test questions or vocabulary, but
you may be able to get the information you need to
clarify the test’s instructions.
Good Luck!
Now that you are familiar with the GED® test, you
can begin your powerful practice. The exams in this
book are designed to be as close as possible to the
actual tests you will see on test day. Each question in
the exams that come with this book is accompanied
by a very detailed answer explanation—you will be
able to see not only why the correct answer is right
but also why each of the other choices is incorrect.
You will also see sample essays at all levels for the
Extended Response items.
Best of luck on your GED® test study journey
and on your test-taking experience!
 2
C H A P T E R

DIAGNOSTIC TEST

C HAPTER SUMMARY
This is the first of the three practice tests in this book based on
the GED® Reasoning through Language Arts test. Use this test to
see how you would do if you were to take the exam today.

T his diagnostic practice exam is of the same type as the real GED® Reasoning through Language Arts
test. It consists of 50 multiple-choice questions and one essay question. These questions test your skills
in comprehension (extracting meaning), application (using information), analysis (breaking down
information), and synthesis (putting elements together).
The answer sheet you should use for the multiple-choice questions is on the following page. Then comes
the exam itself, and after that, the answer key. Each answer on the test is explained in the answer key to help you
find out why the correct answers are right and why the incorrect answers are wrong.

13
Blank Page
 – L EA R NI N G E X P R E S S A N S W E R S HE E T –

Diagnostic Test

1. a b c d 18. a b c d 35. a b c d
2. a b c d 19. a b c d 36. a b c d
3. a b c d 20. a b c d 37. a b c d
4. a b c d 21. a b c d 38. a b c d
5. a b c d 22. a b c d 39. a b c d
6. a b c d 23. a b c d 40. a b c d
7. a b c d 24. a b c d 41. a b c d
8. a b c d 25. a b c d 42. a b c d
9. a b c d 26. a b c d 43. a b c d
10. a b c d 27. a b c d 44. a b c d
11. a b c d 28. a b c d 45. a b c d
12. a b c d 29. a b c d 46. a b c d
13. a b c d 30. a b c d 47. a b c d
14. a b c d 31. a b c d 48. a b c d
15. a b c d 32. a b c d 49. a b c d
16. a b c d 33. a b c d 50. a b c d
17. a b c d 34. a b c d

15
Blank Page
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Part I
Directions: Choose the one best answer to each
question.
Questions 1 through 7 refer to the following excerpt from
a novel.
Will Anne Miss Green Gables?
It was a happy and beautiful bride who came
down the old carpeted stairs that September
noon. She was the first bride of Green
Gables, slender and shining-eyed, with her
(5) arms full of roses. Gilbert, waiting for her in
the hall below, looked up at her with adoring
eyes. She was his at last, this long-sought
Anne, whom he won after years of patient
waiting. It was to him she was coming. Was
(10) he worthy of her? Could he make her as
happy as he hoped? If he failed her—if he
could not measure up to her standards. . . .
But then, their eyes met and all doubt
was swept away in a certainty that everything
(15) would be wonderful. They belonged to each
other; no matter what life might hold for
them, it could never alter that. Their
happiness was in each other’s keeping and
both were unafraid.
(20) They were married in the sunshine of
the old orchard, circled by the loving and
kindly faces of long-familiar friends. Mr.
Allan married them and the Reverend Jo
made what Mrs. Rachel Lynde afterwards
(25) pronounced to be the “most beautiful
wedding prayer” she had ever heard. Birds do
not often sing in September, but one sang
sweetly from some hidden tree while Gilbert
and Anne repeated their vows. Anne heard it
(30) and thrilled to it. Gilbert heard it and
wondered only that all the birds in the world
had not burst into jubilant song. The bird
sang until the ceremony was ended. Then it
wound up with one more little, glad trill.
(35) Never had the old gray-green house
among its enfolding orchards known a
merrier afternoon. Laughter and joy had
their way; and when Anne and Gilbert left to
catch their train, Marilla stood at the gate
(40) and watched them drive out of sight down
the long lane with its banks of goldenrod.
Anne turned at its end to wave her last
goodbye. She looked once more at her home
and felt a tinge of sadness. Then she was
(45) gone—Green Gables was her home no more.
It would never be again. Marilla’s face looked
very gray and old as she turned to the house
which Anne had filled for years with light
and life.
Adapted from L.M. Montgomery,
Anne’s House of Dreams
1. Which of the following words best describes
what Gilbert feels toward Anne?
a. love
b. respect
c. gratitude
d. nervousness
2. What happened when Gilbert’s and Anne’s
eyes met?
a. He wondered whether he was worthy of her.
b. He wondered what their life would be like.
c. He realized they were meant for each other.
d. He thought Anne would miss Green Gables
very much.
3. Based on the excerpt, what was probably the
hardest change for Anne?
a. becoming a wife
b. saying goodbye to Marilla
c. not being free to do what she wanted
d. Green Gables not being her home any longer
17
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
4. Based on the excerpt, which description best
characterizes the relationship between Marilla
and Anne?
a. Marilla felt tired from having taken care of
Anne.
b. Marilla raised Anne from childhood and
cared about her.
c. Marilla was sad that Anne left because she
would have to leave, too.
d. Marilla and Anne disagreed about Gilbert
being a good husband.
5. Which of the following best describes what the
author means when she says “this long-sought
Anne” (lines 7 and 8)?
a. Anne was no longer a young woman.
b. Anne did not fall in love with Gilbert right
away.
c. Anne was patient with Gilbert.
d. Anne had nearly married someone else.
6. Of the characters in this excerpt, whose inner
thoughts are hidden from the reader?
a. Anne
b. Gilbert
c. Marilla
d. Mr. Allan
7. How does the bird’s singing relate to Gilbert’s
and Anne’s marriage?
a. The bird’s singing was distracting to those
watching the service.
b. The bird’s singing mirrored the joy of the
wedding service.
c. The bird’s singing seemed to suggest sad
events in the future.
d. The bird’s singing was worrisome to the
bridal couple.
18
Directions: Choose the one best answer to each
question.
Questions 8 through 14 are based on the following
passage.
Raymond Dean
Green Valley Farm
3421 Rte 32
Stone Ridge, NY 12430
Dear Mr. Dean:
(A)
(1) I am presently a student at ulster county
community college and my field of study is
agriculture. (2) I am studying all types of
farming techniques, and only prefers organic
methods for growing vegetables. (3) I have
learned much about the latest techniques for
growing food organically and I know that
since you are one of the largest organic
growers in the area, I will learn a great deal
more from you and your employees.
(B)
(4) This is why I would like to apply for a
summer position with your farm. (5) I hope
to get a permanent job with you after I grad-
uate. (6) I believe the experience of working
with the Green Valley Farm professionals
would, enhance my education greatly. (7) I
want to let you know that I would consider
an unpaid internship at your farm. (8) That
is how anxious I am to work with you. (9)
Maybe I could borrow some money from my
parents or get a second job to support
myself. (10) I am enclosing my resume as
well as my references from teachers and a
former employer.
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
(C)
(11) I first learned about your farm from a
teacher. (12) He has high regard for your
work. (13) He was suggesting that I write
you and make this request. (14) I hope I will
hear from you. (15) In the near future.
Sincerely yours,
Mark Tanzania
8. Sentence (1): I am presently a student at ulster
county community college and my field of
study is agriculture.
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of the sentence?
a. ulster county Community College
b. Ulster county community college
c. Ulster County Community college
d. Ulster County Community College
9. Sentence (2): I am studying all types of farming
techniques, and only prefers organic methods
for growing vegetables.
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence?
a. techniques, so I prefer
b. techniques which are
c. techniques, but prefer
d. techniques that don’t prefer
10. Sentences (4) and (5): This is why I would like
to apply for a summer position with your farm.
I hope to get a permanent job with you after I
graduate.
Which is the most effective combination of
sentences (4) and (5)?
a. I am applying for a summer job, but I hope
to get a permanent position.
b. Applying for a job now in the hopes that you
will hire me after I graduate.
c. I would like to apply for a position with your
farm, today, and then later after I graduate.
d. I would like to apply for a summer position
with your farm in the hopes of having a
permanent job with you after I graduate.
11. Which revision would improve the
effectiveness of paragraph (B)?
a. move sentence (5) after sentence (10)
b. move sentence (9) to the end of the paragraph
c. remove sentence (6)
d. remove sentence (9)
12. Sentence (6): I believe the experience
of working with the Green Valley Farm
professionals would, enhance my education
greatly.
Which correction should be made to
sentence (6)?
a. insert a comma after professionals
b. replace working with to work
c. change believe to believed
d. remove the comma after would
19
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
13. Sentences (11) and (12): I first learned about
your farm from a teacher. He has high regard
for your work.
Which is the most effective combination of
sentences (11) and (12)?
a. First I learned about your farm from a
teacher he has high regard for your work.
b. I learned about your farm from a teacher
who has high regard for your work.
c. My teacher has high regard for your work, I
learned about your farm.
d. A teacher who has high regard for your work
and I first learned about your farm.
14. Sentence (13): He was suggesting that I write
you and make this request.
Which correction should be made to
sentence (13)?
a. change make to made
b. change you and make to you. Make
c. change was suggesting to suggested
d. change was suggesting to have suggested
20
Questions 15 through 18 refer to the following excerpt
from a short story.
Will He Appear on National Television?
“I think half the world has shown up for this
audition.” Gene was talking on his cell phone
to his girlfriend. “I can’t wait to perform. I
know I’m in fine voice, and they are going to
(5) love the song I chose.”
“Well, good luck. I will be thinking of
you.”
Although he sounded upbeat with his
girlfriend, in truth Gene was anything but
(10) confident. He had staked so much on the
audition, and he had no idea what the judges
would really think of him. He realized for the
first time that he was scared. Even so, he
wanted to succeed so much he could almost
(15) taste it. Just imagine competing on national
television. He took a long breath in. It was
hard to believe he was actually going to
perform for the judges.
He had arrived exactly at nine and had
(20) been in line for over three hours. He could
hear his heart beating loudly. Right then,
Gene heard his name being called. He went
into the building and was ushered into the
audition room.
(25) “Yes, I’m here,” he answered.
Gene looked at the judges sitting at the
table. They seemed bored and unimpressed.
“Well, what are you going to sing for us
today?” one of the judges asked him. “Time
(30) After Time,” Gene told him, his voice
quavering a bit.
“Okay, let’s see what you’ve got,” said
another judge who was tapping the table
with a pencil.
(35) Gene felt a knot in his throat and didn’t
know if he could go on. He remembered
what his voice coach told him: “Just take a
moment before you start. Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath, and then let go.” Gene
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
(40) closed his eyes and took a breath and then a
sweet voice began emanating from his
mouth. The judges seemed to disappear. He
could have been anywhere. He was in his
own world.
(45) Suddenly it was over, and he stood in
front of the judges feeling very alone and
vulnerable. He could feel the sweat on his
brow.
“Well, that was a surprise,” said the first
(50) judge. “I never would have predicted that.”
“What do you think? Does he go
through?” All four of the judges gave him a
thumbs up. “You’re in, kid,” the first judge
said. “Don’t make us regret our decision.”
(55) “Oh, no, sir. You won’t regret it,” Gene
said as he nearly skipped out of the room.
15. Based on the excerpt, what does Gene most
likely think about the audition?
a. It will give him a chance to make a good
living.
b. It is something he had wanted to avoid.
c. It is a chance for him to be discovered.
d. It will make him famous in a short time.
16. When does the scene in this excerpt take place?
a. early morning
b. late afternoon
c. early afternoon
d. early evening
17. Which is the best description of Gene’s
performance?
a. a good try but not good enough
b. a fine voice but without true conviction
c. a bit slow to start but ultimately wonderful
d. a showy voice but not much rhythm
18. What is the main effect of the author’s use of
phrases such as “could almost taste it,” “took a
long breath in,” and “beating loudly”?
a. to show how long Gene had been waiting
b. to show that Gene was talented
c. to show that Gene had been exercising
d. to show how important the audition was to
Gene
Questions 19 through 25 are based on the following
passage.
Gorée Island
(A)
(1) Europeans played a large part in bring-
ing slaves to America from west africa.
(2) European countries sent out explorers
who sailed down the west coast of Africa.
(3) They came in contact with the people
there. (4) They traded with them, but they
also captures many of the people. (5) These
people were sent to the New World where
they became slaves. (6) Most of them ended
up working on farms and plantations.
(B)
(7) Some Africans were sent from Gorée, a
small island off the coast of what is now Sen-
egal. (8) There are about nine and a half mil-
lion people in Senegal today. (9) They stayed
in dungeons until the ships from the New
World came to take them to America and the
Caribbean. (10) Some Africans also profited
from the slave trade. (11) A group of free
African women, called signares, sold food to
the European traders for the enslaved people
and also owned many slaves herself.
21
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
(C)
(12) Today the dungeons where they stayed
are a museum. (13) Hundreds of people visit
this museum each year to see where the slaves
were held. (14) They view the dungeons and
the House of the Slaves, which is where the
masters lived. (15) Their is a memorial statue
right outside the house showing African
slaves in chains. (16) A visit there would be
very educational. (17) You will learn a great
deal from the guides about what happened
there.
19. Sentence (1): Europeans played a large part in
bringing slaves to America from west africa.
Which correction should be made to
sentence 1?
a. replace played with were playing
b. insert a comma after America
c. insert a period after large part
d. change west africa to West Africa
20. Sentences (2) and (3): European countries sent
out explorers who sailed down the west coast of
Africa. They came in contact with the people
there.
The most effective combination of sentences
(2) and (3) would include which group of words?
a. coast of Africa while they
b. coast of Africa where they
c. coast of Africa instead of
d. coast of Africa but they
21. Sentence (4): They traded with them, but they
also captures many of the people.
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of this sentence?
a. had been captured
b. was capturing
c. will capture
d. captured
22
22. Which revision would improve the effectiveness
of paragraph (B)?
a. move sentence (7) to the end of the
paragraph
b. remove sentence (8)
c. remove sentence (9)
d. move sentence (11) to the beginning of the
paragraph
23. Sentence (11): A group of free African women,
called signares, sold food to the European
traders for the enslaved people and also owned
many slaves herself.
Which correction should be made to
sentence (11)?
a. change owned to owns
b. change A group to A groups
c. insert a comma after people
d. replace herself with themselves
24. Sentence (15): Their is a memorial statue right
outside the house showing African slaves in
chains.
Which correction should be made to
sentence 15?
a. move right to the end of the sentence
b. replace Their with There
c. change is to are
d. change slaves to Slaves
25. Sentence (17): You will learn a great deal from
the guides about what happened there.
The most effective revision of sentence (17)
would begin with which group of words?
a. If you go, you
b. Even if you go, you
c. However, you
d. Learning a lot
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Questions 26 through 31 refer to the following employee
memo.
What Will the New Procedures Do?
Memo
To: Employees of IMPEL
From: Management
Re: New Security Procedures
(5) Date: June 15
As a result of some incidents that have
occurred with unauthorized persons in
secure parts of Building A, as of June 30, new
procedures will go into effect for security in
(10) that building. From now on, all employees
reporting to work should enter through the
employee entrance at the side of the building
on Murray Street. No employee is to enter
through the main entrance. In order to be
(15) admitted, each employee must have a valid
photo ID. The ID needs to be swiped to
unlock the door. Make sure not to allow
another person to enter with you even if you
know the person. Each employee needs to
(20) swipe his or her own ID in order to be
registered as being on the job.
The main entrance will be for visitors
only. The receptionist there will call the party
that the visitor is coming to meet so that he
(25) or she can come to the main desk to escort
the guest to his or her office. Visitors will be
given temporary passes, but they cannot
have full run of the office.
In addition, all employees will also be
(30) required to log in on their computer when
they begin work and log out when they take
a break. Make sure to log out and in when
taking lunch breaks.
If an employee sees someone whom he
(35) or she believes is unauthorized to be in
Building A, that employee should take
immediate action and report the event to
Mr. Shields, our head of security. Do not
approach the person, but simply call Mr.
(40) Shields’s office. His extension is 890. If there
is no answer, make a written report and
e-mail it to cshields@impel.com.
If employees have any questions
regarding these regulations, please contact
(45) the Human Resources department at
extension 550. Ms. Hardy will be able to
respond to your queries. Thank you for your
cooperation in this matter. We feel that with
these additional procedures, our workplace
(50) will be made more secure for everyone
concerned. Ideally, this will result in
improved work output, since any possibility
of a security breach will be prevented.
26. Which of the following best restates the phrase
“security breach” (line 53)?
a. a compromise in the safety of the office
b. a blow to the confidence of employees
c. a distraction because of an employee’s
personal problems
d. a defense against employees not doing their
jobs
27. Based on the excerpt, which of the following
can be inferred about management?
a. They are concerned about the safety of
employees.
b. They believe that the office is completely
secure.
c. They want employees to fill out time sheets.
d. They want to track employee work habits.
28. Which of the following could be prevented by
the new security procedures?
a. visitors entering through the main entrance
b. employees swiping IDs to open doors
c. employees entering through the side
entrance
d. unauthorized persons wandering around
Building A
23
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
29. Imagine an employee sees a person in Building
A without an ID badge. According to the
memo, which of these actions should the
employee take?
a. call Mr. Shields’s office to make a report
b. tell the person to leave the building
c. call the receptionist in the main entrance
d. report the event to Ms. Hardy
30. Which of the following best describes the style
in which this memo is written?
a. complicated and unclear
b. academic and dry
c. straightforward and direct
d. detailed and technical
31. Which of the following best describes the way
in which the memo is organized?
a. by listing information in the order of
importance
b. by sequence of events
c. by presenting a problem and then a solution
d. by comparing and contrasting issues
Questions 32 through 37 refer to the following excerpt
from a novel.
Will His Mother Let Him Leave?
“Beatrice,” he said suddenly, “I want to go
away to school. Everybody in Minneapolis is
going to go away to school.”
Beatrice showed some alarm.
(5) “But you’re only fifteen.”
“Yes, but everybody goes away to
school at fifteen, and I want to, Beatrice.”
On Beatrice’s suggestion, the subject
was dropped for the rest of the walk, but a
(10) week later she delighted him by saying,
“Amory, I have decided to let you have your
way. If you still want to, you can go away to
school.”
“Yes?”
24
(15) “To St. Regis’s in Connecticut.”
Amory said nothing, but he felt a bolt
of excitement along his spine.
“It’s being arranged,” continued
Beatrice. “It’s better that you should go away.
(20) I’d have preferred you to have gone to Eton
and then to Christ Church, Oxford. But it
seems impracticable now—and for the
present, we’ll let the university question take
care of itself.”
(25) “What are you going to do, Beatrice?”
“Heaven knows. It seems my fate to
spend my years in this country. Not for a
second do I regret being American—indeed,
I think that regret is very typical of ignorant
(30) people. I feel sure we are the great coming
nation, yet”—and she sighed, “I feel my life
should have slipped away close to an older,
mellower civilization, a land of greens and
autumnal browns. . . .”
(35) Amory did not answer, so his mother
continued, “My regret is that you haven’t
been abroad. But still, as you are a man, it’s
better that you should grow up here under
the snarling eagle—is that the right term?”
(40) Amory agreed that it was.
“When do I go to school?”
“Next month. You’ll have to start East a
little early to take your examinations. After
that you’ll have a free week, so I want you to
(45) go up the Hudson and pay a visit.”
“To who?”
“To Monsignor Darcy, Amory. He
wants to see you. He went to Harrow and
then to Yale—became a Catholic. I want him
(50) to talk to you. I feel he can be such a
help.” She stroked his auburn hair gently.
“Dear Amory, dear Amory. . . .”
Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald,
This Side of Paradise
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
32. Which of the following best expresses the main
idea of the excerpt?
a. A boy’s mother agrees to let her son go to a
boarding school.
b. A boy’s mother would like her son to visit
schools in other countries.
c. A boy wants to make his mother happy.
d. A boy wants to get away from his hometown.
33. Based on the information in this excerpt, which
of the following would Beatrice most likely
prefer to do?
a. learn about American history
b. have a potluck dinner with friends
c. spend time in England
d. teach English to schoolchildren
34. Why does Beatrice most likely think it is better
for Amory to grow up in America?
a. He would not like Europe.
b. He is good at sports.
c. Schools are easier in America.
d. He was born in America.
35. Based on Beatrice saying, “I feel my life should
have slipped away close to an older, mellower
civilization, a land of greens and autumnal
browns” (lines 31 to 34), what does she suggest
about America?
a. She thinks it is similar to England.
b. She believes it is a land of great energy.
c. She assumes it is a weak country with little
future.
d. She decides then to adopt it as her home.
36. How does Amory calling his mother by her first
name influence the excerpt?
a. It shows that Amory and his mother are not
close.
b. It shows that Beatrice wants to appear to be
Amory’s sister.
c. It shows that Beatrice resents being a
mother.
d. It shows that Amory and his mother’s
relationship is not typical.
37. Why does Beatrice want Amory to visit
Monsignor Darcy?
a. She thinks that Monsignor Darcy can
convince Amory to go to school closer to
home.
b. Monsignor Darcy is Amory’s uncle.
c. She wants Amory to become Catholic.
d. She feels that Monsignor Darcy can help
Amory because he went to Harrow and Yale.
Questions 38 through 42 refer to the following excerpt
from a review.
What Does the Reviewer
Think of Last Fight?
Last Fight may be one of the biggest
blockbusters of the summer, but it doesn’t
live up to the buzz around it. In this science
fiction tale of epic proportions, viewers are
(5) propelled forward to a future when Earth is
populated by androids and humans. These
survivors of an ancient civilization live in a
sterile world covered by a plastic dome. The
dome is for protection from aliens who
(10) attack Earth on a regular basis. It also cuts
down on such environmental problems as
air pollution and global warming.
The plot centers around a young man
named Raal and his quest to forge a peace
(15) between the humans and the aliens. His is a
25
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
difficult task, considering the aliens have no
desire to stop trying to overcome Earth and its
inhabitants. While Raal (George Armstrong)
is a likeable character, he lacks the ability to
(20) change expression to any extent. As a result,
his acting range is quite limited. He is
something of a dreamer, and perhaps the
message here is that there is no place for
dreamers in the future, but I will not detail
(25) the plot or the ending. I don’t want to spoil it
for those people who may actually want to
view the film. Still, let it be said that events
do not go well for young Raal.
The high point of the movie for me
(30) was the performance by veteran actor Bruce
Cameron as the sage Kel. He has shown over
and over his ability to transform even the
most mundane character into someone
fascinating to watch. It may be worth seeing
(35) the film just for his performance.
Besides being far-fetched, the movie
concentrates too much on special effects,
including 3-D, but that of course may be a
draw for many viewers. Its cost was also
(40) enormous. Not much that is green is in this
film.
38. Which of the following is the main idea of the
excerpt?
a. The author is giving the reasons movies
should not use special effects.
b. The author is detailing the kind of acting
that he prefers.
c. The author is providing his impressions of a
science fiction movie.
d. The author is explaining why he enjoys
science fiction movies.
26
39. Which of the following best expresses the
reviewer’s opinion of Last Fight?
a. It was too expensive to make and is too long.
b. It was enjoyable because there was some
great acting in it.
c. The reviewer hopes that most people will
turn out for the movie.
d. It has little depth and relies too much on
special effects.
40. If it is known that the author of this review had
written numerous science fiction scripts, none
of which were ever made into a movie, how
would this most likely affect the reading of this
review?
a. The experiences of the author give his or her
opinion greater value.
b. The author’s knowledge of the genre may be
questioned.
c. Much of the negativity might be construed
as sour grapes.
d. The author’s personal experiences have no
influence on the review whatsoever.
41. Which of the following best describes the style
in which this review is written?
a. technical
b. humorous
c. academic
d. ornate
42. According to the author, which word best
describes Last Fight?
a. provocative
b. lighthearted
c. solemn
d. overblown
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Questions 43 through 50 are based on the following
passage.
How to Write a Cover Letter
(A)
(1) A cover letter that accompanies your
résumé is of great importance, the cover let-
ter gives the employer a general impression
of you. (2) In fact, if the cover letter don’t
interest the potential employer, the employer
may opt not to read through the résumé at
all. (3) So make your cover letter effective by
keeping it short and bring up points that will
interest the reader.
(B)
(4) Before you start to write, make sure you
have an updated résumé. (5) Then research
the company so you can include information
about itself that might relate to the position
you are hoping to fill. (6) Research will also
help you prepare for an interview. (7) When
you are ready to write your letter make sure
to include the name of the person the title,
the correct company name, and address. (8)
If you don’t know the name of the person to
who you are writing, use “Dear Sir/Madam.”
(C)
(9) When you get to the body of the letter,
use the first paragraph to say why you think
you would be good for the position.
(10) Also include, why you would want to
work for the company. (11) Use the next
paragraph to tell about your experience and
matching it to the job. (12) Let the employer
know that you are enthusiastic about the
prospect of working for the company.
(13) The last paragraph should be brief.
(14) Should include a strong statement that
will make the employer want to interview
you. (15) At the end of the letter, give your
contact, information and conclude with
either “sincerely yours” or “yours truly.”
43. Sentence (1): A cover letter that accompanies
your résumé is of great importance, the cover
letter gives the employer a general impression
of you.
Which correction should be made to
sentence (1)?
a. insert a comma after résumé
b. remove the comma
c. replace gives with give
d. replace the comma with because
44. Sentence (2): In fact, if the cover letter don’t
interest the potential employer, the employer
may opt not to read through the résumé at all.
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of sentence (2)?
a. letter did not interest
b. letters don’t interest
c. letter haven’t interest
d. letter doesn’t interest
45. Sentence (3): So make your cover letter
effective by keeping it short and bring up
points that will interest the reader.
Which correction should be made to
sentence (3)?
a. change keeping to will keep
b. change interest to interesting
c. change it to its
d. change bring to bringing
27
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –

46. Sentence (5): Then research the company so you 49. Sentence (11): Use the next paragraph to
can include information about itself that might tell about your experience and matching it to
relate to the position you are hoping to fill. the job.
Which is the best way to write the Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of sentence (5)? underlined portion of sentence (11)?
a. about yourselves a. getting to have matched
b. about herself b. and to have matched
c. about himself c. and to match
d. about yourself d. yet to match

47. Sentence (7): When you are ready to write your
letter make sure to include the name of the
person the title, the correct company name,
and address.
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of sentence (7)?
a. person; the title
b. person, the title,
c. person. The title
d. person and the title
50. Sentence (14): Should include a strong
statement that will make the employer
want to interview you.
What correction should be made to
sentence (14)?
a. insert It before Should and use lowercase
should
b. change will make to is making
c. replaced interview with interviewing
d. change employer want to employer. Want

48. Sentence (8): If you don’t know the name of

the person to who you are writing, use “Dear
Sir/Madam.”
Which is the best way to write the
underlined portion of sentence (8)?
a. to which
b. that
c. which
d. to whom

28
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Part II
1 Question
Read the following passages. Then, read the prompt and
write an essay taking a stance. Use information from the
passages to support your essay.
President Franklin Roosevelt’s Message to
Congress on Establishing Minimum Wages
and Maximum Hours, May 24, 1937
“Today, you and I are pledged to take further
steps to reduce the lag in the purchasing power
of industrial workers and to strengthen and
stabilize the markets for the farmers’ products.
The two go hand in hand. Each depends for its
effectiveness upon the other. Both working
simultaneously will open new outlets for
productive capital. Our Nation so richly
endowed with natural resources and with a
capable and industrious population should be
able to devise ways and means of insuring to
all our able-bodied working men and women a
fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. A self-
supporting and self-respecting democracy can
plead no justification for the existence of child
labor, no economic reason for chiseling
workers’ wages or stretching workers’ hours.
Enlightened business is learning that
competition ought not to cause bad social
consequences which inevitably react upon the
profits of business itself. All but the hopelessly
reactionary will agree that to conserve our
primary resources of man power, government
must have some control over maximum hours,
minimum wages, the evil of child labor and
the exploitation of unorganized labor.”
Letter to the Editor Regarding Minimum
Wage Increase, January 3, 2014
Dear Editor:
I have seen many people speak out in support
of raising the minimum wage in recent weeks,
but I have yet to see anyone offer an informed
alternative view. The truth is, if we increase
the minimum wage for all American workers,
we will undoubtedly do irreparable harm to
our economy. The more we keep government
from intruding into the workplace, the better.
Raising the minimum wage means that
employers have to come up with the extra
money to pay their workers more. How will
they do this? By firing workers to reduce costs,
or by charging more for their goods and
services. If they fire workers, then those
workers will now be earning less than they did
before . . . not exactly a great solution to raise
the standard of living. If they raise the price of
goods and services, then people will have to
spend more on life essentials such as food and
transportation. So the benefit of higher wages
will be eaten up by the increased expenses
faced by the average worker.
When I was growing up, I made twenty-
five cents an hour washing cars. I used that
money to put myself through college to get my
engineering degree. I used that degree to get a
job designing bridges for the state of Texas. I
didn’t sit there at the car wash complaining
about how little I earned; I used that
opportunity to better myself. I just wish more
people these days were willing to do the same.
Sincerely,
Ralph Phillips
Prompt
These two passages present different arguments
regarding the issue of minimum wage. In your
response, analyze both positions to determine which
one is best supported. Use relevant and specific evi-
dence from the passages to support your response.
29
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Answers and Explanations
Part I
1. a. Although Gilbert may feel respect and grati-
tude, the word that best describes his feelings
is love. It is clearly indicated in his actions.
Nervousness is not supported by the excerpt.
2. c. This choice is clearly supported by what the
excerpt says happened when their eyes met—
“and all doubt was swept away in a certainty
that everything would be wonderful.” The
other choices may enter into the scene
between them, but they do not occur when
their eyes met.
3. d. It is clear from the ending of the excerpt that
this was the biggest and hardest change for
Anne. That is why she felt a “tinge of sad-
ness.” The other choices are not supported.
4. b. There are hints in the excerpt that support
this answer, such as Marilla looking “gray”
when Anne was leaving and how Anne had
filled the house with “light and life.” The
other choices are not supported by the text.
5. b. Based on the information in the excerpt, this
is the correct answer. The text says that Gil-
bert had won her “after years of patient wait-
ing.” This supports choice b, not the other
choices.
6. d. The author gives the readers clues about what
all the other characters are thinking, but the
reader does not learn anything about Mr.
Allan.
7. b. The text says that not many birds sang in
September but that one sang sweetly while
Gilbert and Anne repeated their vows. It even
“wound up with one more little, glad trill”
after the ceremony was over, seeming to mir-
ror the joy of the wedding service.
30
8. d. Choice d is correct because it capitalizes all
the words that make up the proper name of
the college. Choices a, b, and c are incorrect
because they capitalize some, but not all, of
the words in the proper name.
9. c. The best revision of this sentence reads, “I
am studying all types of farming techniques,
but prefer organic methods for growing vege-
tables.” Therefore, choice c is the best
response. Choices a, b, and d change the
meaning of the sentence.
10. d. Choice d is the best answer. This contains all
the relevant information that is needed.
Choice a is very general, and it is unclear what
permanent position is wanted by the letter
writer. Choice b is grammatically incorrect
because it lacks a subject for the verb applying.
Choice c is awkward and unclear.
11. d. Choice d is the best response, since this infor-
mation is not central to the main point of the
letter, which is asking for an internship.
Choice a doesn’t make sense when it is
moved. Choice b doesn’t work since the
information is not material to the topic.
Choice c would mean removing an important
sentence from the paragraph.
12. d. Choice d is correct because it removes an
unnecessary comma from the sentence.
Choice a is not correct because it would
insert an unnecessary comma. Choices b and
c are not correct because these contain the
wrong forms of the verbs.
13. b. Choice b is the best response. This sentence
replaces the repetitive he has with the pronoun
who. Choice a is a run-on sentence so it is
incorrect. Choice c does not combine the sen-
tences, but simply puts an inappropriate
comma between them. Choice d improperly
joins the sentences with and.
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
14. c. Choice c is correct because this action hap-
pened once in the past and is not ongoing.
Choice a is not correct because the verb made
is in the past tense, not the present tense, the
way it should be. Choice b is the wrong
answer because it creates a phrase and doesn’t
address the verb problem. Choice d uses an
incorrect form of past tense.
15. c. This is the best answer. The audition will give
him a chance to be discovered. The audition
will not make him become famous or give
him a chance to make a good living.
16. c. The excerpt says Gene got to the audition site
at 9:00 A.M. and had been waiting more than
three hours (line 20). That would make the
time after noon.
17. c. This answer reflects what happens in the
story. At first he was slow to start, but then
he sang very well and passed the round of
auditions.
18. d. This answer reflects the feelings that Gene
was having about the audition. For instance, a
person’s heart often beats loudly—or seems
to beat louder than usual—when a person is
experiencing an important moment in life.
19. d. Choice d correctly capitalizes a proper noun.
Choice a changes the verb into an incorrect
tense. Choice b inserts a comma that is not
needed, and choice c makes the second sen-
tence a fragment.
20. b. Choice b is correct because it combines the
ideas in both sentences with the relative pro-
noun where. Choice a uses a transition word
that changes the meaning of the sentences.
Choice c creates a confusing sentence, and
choice d changes the meaning of the sen-
tences.
21. d. Choice d is correct because the verb
form fits the subject, and the tense is correct
as well. Choice a is not correct because the
tense and the verb in the first part of the sen-
tence do not match the subject. Choices b
and c are both incorrect because they pick
incorrect tenses—one in the past continuous
tense and the other in the future tense.
22. b. Choice b is correct. This sentence has nothing
to do with the main topic of the paragraph,
which concerns the slaves being held in Gorée
Island. Choice a is not correct because this is
a topic sentence and clearly the opening of
the paragraph. Choice c has important infor-
mation about the slaves in it. Choice d
wouldn’t make logical sense.
23. d. Choice d is correct since the subject (women)
is plural, not singular. Choice a is incorrect
because this is the wrong verb tense for the
sentence. Choice b is grammatically incorrect
since a is singular and groups is plural. No
comma is needed after people, so choice c is
incorrect.
24. b. Choice b is correct because it replaces the
homonym their, a possessive pronoun, with
there, meaning that place. Choice a does not
make sense. Choice c would result in a verb
that does not agree with the subject. Choice d
is incorrect because there is no reason to cap-
italize slaves.
25. a. Choice a is correct because this phrase links a
visit to Gorée Island with learning from the
guides. Choice b is incorrect because it
changes the meaning of the sentence. Choice
c uses an inappropriate transition. Choice d is
wrong because it turns the sentence into a
dependent clause.
31
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
26. a. This phrase means that the security was
somehow broken, so choice a is correct. This
can be seen in the very first section of the
memo: “As a result of some incidents that
have occurred with unauthorized persons in
secure parts. . . .” The other choices are not
suggested by these words. They have nothing
to do with security being compromised.
27. a. The point of the memo is that there were
some security incidents that needed to be
addressed. Based on the memo, choice b is
clearly not correct, and the others are not
suggested by the memo, either.
28. d. If you read the memo carefully, you will see
that this is the one option that the new regu-
lations will help prevent. It is mentioned in
the first paragraph.
29. a. Again, a close reading of the text will reveal
that this is what an employee is to do first if a
stranger is seen in Building A. This can be
found in the fourth paragraph.
30. c. The memo is direct and to the point. It is not
technical. It’s quite clear and not at all aca-
demic.
31. c. The memo states a problem at the beginning
and then describes the new regulations that
will solve it—a way to keep unauthorized
people out of secure parts of Building A.
32. a. This choice is clearly correct. It contains the
main idea of the excerpt. The dialogue is
about a boy wanting to go away to school and
his mother finally agreeing to it.
33. c. It seems clear from the dialogue in the
excerpt that Beatrice would prefer to be in
England rather than do any of the other
activities. She seems not to mind America,
but she does long for England.
32
34. d. This is the most logical choice, although it is
never actually stated in the excerpt. There is
no mention of the father, although he may or
may not live in America. The other choices
are not supported by the passage, either.
35. b. This is the only choice suggested by the lines
spoken by Beatrice. She is comparing Eng-
land’s mellow nature to America’s energetic
spirit.
36. d. This is the best and most all-encompassing
answer. This mother and son do not seem like
most mothers and sons. The way they relate
and talk suggests an atypical relationship.
37. d. This is the most obvious reason that Beatrice
wants Amory to meet Monsignor Darcy. She
says he went to Harrow and Yale, and she
wants Amory to talk to him.
38. c. This is what the review is mostly about. The
reviewer does address the other answer
choices, but they do not represent the main
intent of the review.
39. d. Based on what the reviewer says about the
movie, this is the best answer. He says the
main character’s acting is bad. He does not
mention the length of the film, either.
40. c. This is the most logical choice. People read-
ing the review would take into consideration
that the reviewer has never had any of his or
her science fiction scripts made into a movie.
This would definitely taint the review, as he
or she might be overly critical.
41. b. The review is somewhat humorous, or at least
that is its intention. Although the 3-D aspect
of the film is mentioned, that’s not really
enough to call the review technical. A techni-
cal review would probably have discussed the
3-D aspect at more length. None of the other
choices properly describes the writing style of
the review.
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
42. d. This word best describes what the reviewer
feels about the movie. Overall, the reviewer is
not very impressed with the film, so a positive
choice like b could be eliminated. None of the
other choices accurately describes the
author’s opinion.
43. d. Choice d is correct because it adds an appro-
priate conjunction to join the two sentences.
Choice a inserts an unnecessary comma, and
by removing the existing comma you create a
run-on sentence, so both choices a and b are
incorrect. Choice c replaces the correct form
of the verb with an incorrect form.
44. d. Choice d is correct because the singular verb
doesn’t agrees with the singular noun letter.
Choice a is incorrect because this is the
wrong verb tense for this sentence. Choice b
is incorrect, not because of the verb, but
because of the plural form of letter. The sen-
tence is referring to one letter, not multiple
ones. Choice c is incorrect because this is a
plural form of the verb.
45. d. Choice d is correct because it uses a verb that
is parallel to keeping. Choices a and b are
incorrect because they use an incorrect form
of the verb. Choice c is not correct because it
changes the pronoun object into a possessive.
46. d. Choice d is correct because this pronoun
refers back to the antecedent you. Choice a is
incorrect because it refers to more than one
you. Choices b and c are incorrect because
they refer to either she or he as antecedents.
47. b. Choice b is correct because commas are used
between lists of items. Choices a and c are
incorrect because they create sentence frag-
ments. Choice d is not correct because title is
not the last item in the list of items.
48. d. Choice d is correct because the preposition to
takes the objective form of the pronoun who.
Choice b is incorrect because that refers to an
animal or thing, but not a person. Also, which
does not refer to a person, so choices a and c
are incorrect.
49. c. Choice c is correct because it matches the
preceding verb to tell. Choices a and b are
incorrect because they do not match to tell.
Choice d is incorrect because it creates a con-
fusing sentence.
50. a. Choice a is correct because it adds a subject
to properly complete the sentence. Choice b
changes a correct verb form into an incorrect
one, as does choice c. Choice d is incorrect
because it turns the sentence into two
fragments.
33
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
Part II
Sample 6 Scoring Essay
President Roosevelt and letter-writing citizen Ralph
Phillips represent perspectives on the minimum wage
from very different time periods. During Roosevelt’s
administration, the country was facing its worst
Depression in history; in 2014, the country had
rebounded from a dramatic Recession but was deeply
divided on both who was responsible for the crisis,
and how it should be addressed.
Among FDR’s New Deal initiatives was a pro-
posal to establish a minimum wage and maximum
hours for American workers. In this message to Con-
gress, he suggests that protecting and investing in the
American workforce would improve conditions for
industrial workers and for farmers who are dependent
on market demand, drawing on Americans’ sense of
ability and resourcefulness, ideals of democracy, and
national ego. He cites child labor and exploitation of
unorganized labor as the primary justifications for
these measures.
However, Ralph Phillips’ letter focuses on the
downsides of such an initiative—employers required
to adhere to an increased minimum wage would be
forced into “firing workers to reduce costs” or “charg-
ing more for their goods,” which would increase the
burden on the workers it was meant to help. He justifi-
ably points out that workers will need to be fired in
order for employers to pay the remaining workers
more. While these logistical concerns might initially
appear to be more persuasive than FDR’s appeal to the
enlightened American spirit of enterprise, Phillips
concludes with a petulant “I made twenty-five cents an
hour washing cars” anecdote that willfully ignores
class and economic realities of the modern era. He
even appears hypocritical—he thinks the government
should stay out of the private employment arena, but
took a job for a government office! Besides, nobody
could put themselves through college making a quar-
ter an hour today—Phillips thus proves himself to be
one of the “hopelessly reactionary” individuals FDR
despaired of reaching in his message. FDR’s address is
34
best supported because he addressed it to a legislative
body that could make a difference and sought to
inspire Congressional leadership to intervene on
behalf of the American worker.
This essay introduces compelling evidence from each
source, organizes its points logically by moving from
beginning to end in each essay, then comparing the two,
and concludes by making an argument about which
essay is better supported, and why. It demonstrates flu-
ency in Standard American English conventions, includ-
ing spelling and grammar.
Sample 3 Scoring Essay
In his message to congress, President Franklin Ros-
evelt says that the government should assist people to
prevent exploration and child labor, even if it damages
the economy. America is rich enough to paying work-
ers fairly for their work. Ralph Phillips wrote a letter
to the editor saying about how it would be to hard to
have a minimum wage because of it having increase
costs for employers and actually basically reduce
employment.
He worked hard to put himself through school
and says everyone should—but what if you can’t even
find a car wash job? What if you have other obstacles?
Roosevelt may have less of plans but he is at least talk-
ing to the right people instead of just giving up.
This essay uses less specific, more simplistic evidence
from each source, and features no direct quotes or
broader context. Its organization is basically logical but
lacks a coherent beginning-middle-end structure or spe-
cific analysis of each argument. The grasp of Standard
American English is weaker—the pronoun “He” in the
second paragraph is clear and there are other syntax
issues.
Sample 0 Scoring Essay
They both make differnt points about minimum
wagers in America. Phillips says the min. wage would
only do bad things to the economy and supports his
 –D I A G N O S T I C T E S T –
argument with personal stories about working hard.
So he is more persuasive. roosevelt says America is rich
and so should pay its workers more no matter what.
This essay fails to introduce its sources, what types of
documents they are, or when they were written. There
are no specific quotes, the essay is much too brief, and its
structure is disorganized—it draws a conclusion before
analyzing FDR’s argument. The grammar, spelling, and
syntax are all substandard.
Extended Response
For this prompt, an extended response should include
some discussion of how the two passages differ in
viewpoint regarding the issue of minimum wage. Spe-
cifically, Roosevelt’s message to Congress emphasizes
the need for government to establish livable require-
ments for wages and working conditions, while the
letter to the editor asserts that government should
keep out of private enterprise as much as possible. A
successful extended response should also analyze the
arguments presented in each passage. For the Roos-
evelt passage, the arguments focus on an appeal to
emotion and charitable cooperation among all Amer-
icans. For example, Roosevelt refers to the way a “self-
respecting democracy” should run. The letter to the
editor, on the other hand, relies largely on personal
experience to support its argument. Mr. Phillips also
offers a logical argument regarding the effects of a
minimum wage increase that some could consider
one-sided; following the logic of this argument, work-
ers should be paid as little as possible to keep everyone
employed and to keep the price of goods low. A keen
reader might even note the potential conflict between
Mr. Phillips’s assertion that government should stay
out of the affairs of business, and the fact that he got a
job working for the government.
35
Blank Page
 3 READING
C H A P T E R

COMPREHENSION:
BIG PICTURE TOOLS

C HAPTER SUMMARY
Many of the questions on the GED® RLA test are designed to
uncover how well you understand and think about what you read.
You’ll need to read the passage carefully in order to answer the
question correctly. In some cases, the answer will be obvious to
you; in other cases, you’ll have to do a little detective work to
figure out the correct choice.
Answers and explanations for all practice questions are at
the end of the chapter.

T his chapter covers tips and strategies for answering questions about big picture concerns like Author’s
Purpose, Point of View, and Theme, as well as how to read effectively and efficiently, how to select and
eliminate answers, and how to manage your time.

37
 – REA D I NG C O M PRE H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –

Reading the P as s ages First Scan, Then Read

Pay Attention to the
Purpose Question
As you may already know, each passage is preceded by a
purpose question. This question is printed in bold and
is there to give you a purpose and focus as you read. Use
this question to your benefit. Read it carefully, and think
about what you might read about in the passage.
Suppose the following is one of the purpose
questions on your test:
Who Is Knocking?
How can this help you? Well, before you even begin
reading, you know that in the passage, you will read
about someone knocking. Because the purpose ques-
tion doesn’t tell you who that is, you know you need
to look for that information as you read. For some
reason, this is going to be important for you to know.
The purpose question is just there to provide
a focus for your reading; you will not have to
answer this question.
You may find it helpful to quickly scan the passage to
identify the main idea, then go back and read the pas-
sage carefully. Knowing the main idea first can help
you identify supporting details as you read. This also
lets you know what information you should be look-
ing for when you read the passage slowly and critically
the second time.
Use Context Clues
Don’t get upset if you come across an unfamiliar
word in a passage. Use what you have learned about
context clues to figure out the meaning. Try doing the
following:
n Notice how the word is used in the sentence.
n Read the surrounding sentences.
n Look for hints such as synonyms, antonyms,
examples, and definitions.
n Think about what would make sense in the
context of the passage.
To correctly answer the questions, it is imperative that
you completely understand each passage.

Notice Important Details

As you read, pay attention to words, phrases, and
Read the Questions First details that seem to be important to the meaning of
Another way to help you focus on important informa- the passage. Be on the lookout for the information
tion as you read a passage is to take a quick look at the listed here:
questions before you begin reading. This will help you
know what information to look for in the passage.
n key words n headings
1. How does the author feel about the topic?
n names of real people n specific details
By reading the questions ahead of time, you know you
n names of characters n clues about mood or
need to look for words and details that offer clues
n names of locations tone
about the author’s attitude toward the subject matter.
n dates n hints about the theme
This could help focus your attention as you read and
n point of view
possibly save time in the long run.

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TIP
If a word is in italics or CAPS or is underlined
or bold, it is probably important. Pay close
attention to this information.
Read Everything
As you read, you may come across information that is
set off in brackets. These are explanatory notes that
can provide valuable information.
Information in brackets [such as these] can be
helpful in selecting the best answer.
It may be tempting to skip over the information in the
brackets, especially if you’re beginning to feel the time
crunch. Don’t skip anything. Be sure to read all the
information you’ve been given. It may be there for a
good reason.
Classify Information
As you read, be sure to recognize the difference
between the main idea and supporting details. Also, be
sure to recognize whether a statement is a fact or an
opinion. Classifying statements correctly can help you
completely understand the passage and mentally orga-
nize the ideas you have read.
Don’t Forget the Visuals
Any time a passage includes visual displays, pay close
attention to them! They are probably there for a rea-
son and often include extremely valuable information
that will deepen your understanding of the passage.
Visual aids that you might find include the following:
n maps
n charts
n graphs
n diagrams
n illustrations
n photographs
Read the titles, labels, and captions as well as the infor-
mation contained within the visuals themselves.
Read the Passage Completely
Some people find it helpful to read the questions
before reading the passage. That’s great; however, you
need to read the passage completely before trying to
actually answer the questions, even if the questions
appear to be simple. Most of the questions will require
you to understand the entire passage completely in
order to correctly answer them. Remember, this is not
the time to assume that you know what the passage is
about. Read the entire text carefully, then answer the
questions.
Carefully Read the Questions
This may seem obvious, but it is vital that you read
each question carefully and make sure you com-
pletely understand exactly what is being asked. In
fact, read each question twice. How can you select the
correct answer if you misread or do not understand
the question?
Which of the following is least likely to occur
next?
Suppose you read this question too quickly. You might
miss the word least. This one simple word completely
changes the question. Overlooking one word in a
question could cause you to select the wrong answer
choice.
Also, it may be tempting to assume that you
know what the question is asking, especially if several
similar questions are grouped together and you’re
feeling rushed for time. But remember—just because
it would be logical for a certain question to come next,
there’s no guarantee that it will.
Pay Attention to Line Numbers
Some questions may refer to line numbers in the pas-
sage. Be sure to refer back to the passage and read the
information in that line again. It is important to
39
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understand the words and information in the correct
context.
What is the meaning of the word buffet in
line 17?
You’re probably familiar with the word buffet and
could easily give a definition. But, this word does have
several meanings. Without reading line 17, how will
you know which meaning is correct?
(17) Heavy raindrops and hail continued to
buffet the tiny cabin throughout the night.
Now that you’ve read the word in the correct context,
you will be able to select the appropriate meaning.
TIP
Any information that is offered within a
question is important! It would not be there
if you didn’t need it.
Tips for Fiction Passages
Prose fiction passages involve imaginary people and
events. While you may see prose fiction passages that
contain arguments and evidence to support a view-
point or conclusion, the author’s main intent for prose
fiction is generally to entertain. These passages are
more likely to focus on tone, style, setting, point of
view, and making inferences about the characters and
the world.
Make Inferences
Often in prose fiction passages, the author intention-
ally leaves out some information. This requires readers
to make inferences about the plot, characters, or set-
40
ting. Use the information that is implied to “fill in the
blanks” and create your own complete mental picture.
For example, you can infer what type of person a char-
acter is by paying attention to what other characters
say or think about him. You can put together informa-
tion about the sights, sounds, and smells described in
a story to infer the setting.
As Maxwell stepped outside, he noticed the
sounds of the cows mooing in the distance and
could make out the silhouette of the barn on the
opposite side of the field. This was nothing like
the city he was used to.
What is the setting of the story?
a. a barn
b. a big city
c. a farm
d. a zoo
The writer mentions a city, but this is not the setting.
Because we know that Maxwell hears cows and can
see a barn on the other side of the field, we can infer
that he is on a farm (choice c). If the barn were the
setting, he would be in it or near it; it would not be in
the distance.
Notice Names
Pay close attention to the names of people and places,
as well as to dates and key words. These are often
important to remember if you are going to accurately
understand the story.
Pay Attention to Details
Details can help you determine many things about a
story. This information is invaluable when answering
questions about plot, conflicts, mood, point of view,
and theme. If you get to a question about one of these
and are unsure of the answer, look back in the passage
and see what insight the details can offer.
 – REA D I NG C O M P R E H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –
Tips for Nonfiction Passages
The GED® RLA test focuses on three types of nonfic-
tion reading passages. These have been chosen to
ensure that you have an understanding of practical
reading and writing situations that you might encoun-
ter in the professional world.
Informational Science Passages
These passages will focus on one of two areas within
the scientific realm. The first is human health and
other biology; this may include topics such as respira-
tion and the interdependence of animal species. The
second is energy-related systems; this may include
topics such as photosynthesis, climate, and gas com-
bustion.
The emphasis of these passages is not to test you
on unfamiliar scientific principles; you will not be
expected to provide additional scientific knowledge
on the topics presented. These passages will likely
focus on your ability to correctly understand the steps
in a process, and your ability to explain how the steps
relate to each other.
Informational Social Studies Passages
These passages will focus on the theme of the Great
American Conversation, which includes discussion of
elements of American government and how it relates
to society. The passages featured here will likely
include excerpts from well-known historical docu-
ments, such as the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution,
as well as other writings of significant figures in
American history. These passages may also include
texts from modern-day political figures, and can
appear in forms as various as speeches, letters, laws, or
diaries.
Informational Workplace Passages
These passages are meant to resemble the kinds of
documents you are likely to encounter in a modern
workplace setting. These documents may include let-
ters, e-mails, instruction manuals, memos, or lists of
policies, among others.
The purpose of the nonfiction passages on the test
may be to entertain, inform, or persuade readers. The
testing standards of the GED® Reasoning through
Language Arts test place a particular emphasis on the
understanding and analysis of arguments and evi-
dence, so expect passages that focus on presenting a
viewpoint or position on an issue. Regardless of their
purpose, these passages are based on actual people,
topics, or events and will offer information, facts, and
details about the topic.
Notice Details
Watch for details such as statistics, dates, names,
events, section headings, and key words that are
included in the passage. You may see these again when
you get to the questions. However, do not select an
answer choice simply because it matches something
from the passage; many incorrect answer choices are
also taken from the text. This is to ensure that you are
understanding the passage and not just skimming for
a correct answer.
Pay Attention to
Descriptive Language
Descriptive language can offer clues about an
author’s views on a topic. For example, if an author
describes a car as a “beast,” that author probably feels
that the vehicle is very big or powerful. After you find
the main idea, begin looking for language, facts, and
details that reveal or support the author’s point of
view.
Look for Evidence
Keep in mind that each paragraph of a nonfiction pas-
sage will have a main idea. The rest of the paragraph
will include details to support the main idea. As you
read, search for this evidence. Facts, examples, descrip-
tions, and other information that helps explain the
main idea are essential to understanding the text and
will probably be the subject of at least some of the
questions.
41
 – REA D I NG C O M PRE H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –
Draw Your Own Conclusions
Some types of nonfiction passages will include opin-
ions on a particular topic. In some cases, you will be
given two passages that offer different views on the
same topic. Pay special attention to the evidence and
reasons presented to support the view presented in
each passage. Then, draw your own conclusions
regarding the author’s ability to present and support
that opinion. For the extended response item on the
test, reaching your own conclusions and expanding on
the evidence and views presented in the passages is
critical if you want to score well.
Author’s Purpose
To fully understand what we read, we need to be able
to figure out why the passage was written. An author
always has a reason, or purpose, for writing. The
author’s purpose for writing a passage is usually one
of the following:
n to entertain
n to inform
n to persuade
Understanding the author’s reason for writing can
help you better understand what you read. Different
types of texts usually have different purposes. Many
stories, plays, magazine articles, poems, novels, and
comic strips are written to entertain. They may be fic-
tion or nonfiction and may include facts, opinions, or
both, but the purpose for writing them is to tell a
story. These are intended to entertain readers and are
meant for pleasure reading.
This summer while vacationing in Florida, I
went parasailing with my mom. It was the most
thrilling adventure I’d ever had! We floated from
a giant parachute, hundreds of feet above the
water, and soared over the beaches.
42
This passage was written to entertain. It was intended
to tell a story about the author’s adventure. It does not
try to teach any information, nor does it try to con-
vince you to share an opinion about the topic.
Textbooks, encyclopedias, and many newspaper
articles are written to inform. Their purpose is to
give the reader information or to teach about a sub-
ject. Such passages will usually contain mostly facts
and may include charts, diagrams, or drawings to
help explain the information.
Parasailing is a sport in which a rider is attached
to a large parachute, or parasail. The parasail is
attached to a vehicle, usually a boat, by a long
tow rope. As the boat moves, the parasail and
rider rise up into the air.
This paragraph teaches readers about the sport of
parasailing. It contains facts and information about
the topic. Readers may enjoy reading about the sub-
ject, but the author’s reason for writing the passage
was to inform.
Other material, such as commercials, advertise-
ments, letters to the editor, and political speeches, are
written to persuade readers to share a belief, agree with
an opinion, or support an idea. Such writing may
include some facts or statements from experts, but it
will most likely include the author’s opinions about the
topic.
One of the most dangerous sports today is
parasailing. Each year, many people are seriously
injured, or even killed, while participating in this
activity. Laws should be passed that prohibit such
reckless entertainment. If people want to fly, they
should get on an airplane.
The author of this paragraph wants to convince read-
ers that parasailing is a dangerous sport. The text
includes not only opinions, but also facts that support
the author’s stand on the subject. Notice that strong
 – REA D I NG C O M P R E H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –

words and phrases, such as seriously injured, should,
and reckless, are included to stir up emotions in the
readers. The author’s purpose for writing this passage
was to persuade readers to agree with his or her beliefs
about parasailing.
BOOST
Did you know that the GED® test was origi-
nally created for military personnel and vet-
erans who did not finish high school? That
was in 1942. Five years later, New York
became the first state to make the test avail-
able to civilians. By 1974, the GED® test was
available in all 50 U.S. states.
Let’s practice what you’ve learned about recog-
nizing the author’s purpose. Read the paragraph and
determine whether it was written to entertain, inform,
or persuade.
It was a quiet summer evening. The moon was
full, and the sky seemed to hold a million stars.
Outside, only the sounds of the crickets could be
heard.
Read the passage for key information and answer the
following five questions.
Instructions for License Renewal
A driver’s license must be renewed every four
years. A renewal application is sent approxi-
mately five to seven weeks before the expiration
date listed on the license. Individuals who fail
to renew within three years of the license expi-
ration date are not eligible for a renewal and
must repeat the initial licensing process. To
renew a license, you must visit a Motor Vehicles
Agency. You must present a completed renewal
application; your current driver’s license;
acceptable proof of age, identification, and
address; and proof of social security in the form
of a Social Security card, a state or federal
income tax return, a current pay stub, or a W-2
form. You must also pay the required fee. If all
the documents and payment are in order, your
photo will be taken and a new license will be
issued.
1. What documents does one need to renew a
driver’s license?
2. What documents represent proof of social
security?

What was the author’s purpose for writing this passage? 3. How often must one renew a driver’s license?

4. How does one obtain the renewal form?

__________________________________________
5. True or False: You can renew your driver’s
Did you recognize that the author’s purpose was license by mail.
to entertain? The text did not try to teach anything or
convince you to hold a certain opinion. It was simply
written for the reader to enjoy.

43
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Read the following passage and determine the meaning
of the italicized word from its context.
6. By the time our staff meeting ended at 8:00, I
was ravenous. I had skipped lunch and hadn’t
eaten since breakfast.
Ravenous means
a. like a raven, birdlike.
b. extremely hungry, greedy for food.
c. exhausted, ready for bed.
d. angry, quite upset.
Read the passage and answer the six questions that
follow.
Robert Johnson is the best blues guitarist of all
time. Johnson had a tremendous impact on the
world of rock and roll. Some consider Johnson
the father of modern rock: His influence
extends to artists from Muddy Waters to Led
Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. Eric Clapton
has called Johnson the most important blues
musician who ever lived. It is hard to believe
that Johnson recorded only 29 songs before his
death in 1938, yet he left an indelible mark on
the music world. Again and again, contempo-
rary rock artists return to Johnson, whose songs
capture the very essence of the blues, trans-
forming our pain and suffering with the healing
magic of his guitar. Rock music wouldn’t be
what it is today without Robert Johnson.
7. According to the passage, from what musical
tradition did Robert Johnson emerge?
a. rock and roll
b. jazz
c. blues
d. classical
44
8. Johnson died in
a. 1927.
b. 1938.
c. 1929.
d. 1940.
9. True or False: Johnson influenced many rock
artists, including Led Zeppelin and the Rolling
Stones.
10. Contemporary rock artists turn to Robert
Johnson for
a. musical influence.
b. life lessons.
c. recovery from painful injuries.
d. advice.
11. The most appropriate title for this article would
be
a. “A Fleeting Life”
b. “The World’s Greatest Musician”
c. “Blues Guitar Legend Robert Johnson”
d. “Learning the Guitar”
12. Indicate whether the following sentences are
fact or opinion:
a. Robert Johnson is the best blues guitarist of
all time.
b. Eric Clapton has called Johnson the most
important blues musician who ever lived.
c. Rock music wouldn’t be what it is today
without Robert Johnson.
d. Robert Johnson died in 1938.
Read the passage and answer the eight questions that
follow.
There will be dire consequences for residents if
a shopping mall is built on the east side of
town. First, the shopping mall will interfere
with the tranquil and quiet atmosphere that we
now enjoy. Second, the mall will attract a huge
 – REA D I NG C O M P R E H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –

number of shoppers from a variety of sur-
rounding areas, which will result in major traf-
fic congestion for those of us who live here. But
most importantly, to build the shopping mall,
many of us will be asked to sell our homes and
relocate, and this kind of displacement should
be avoided at all costs.
13. The main idea of this passage is that the shop-
ping mall would
a. be great for the community.
b. not change things much.
c. be bad for the community.
d. be a good place to shop.
14. Displacement is a good word choice because
a. it is compatible with general reading level
and the formal writing style of the article.
b. the writer likes to impress readers by using
big words.
c. it is the only word that is suitable or
appropriate.
d. it is easy to understand.
15. This passage is organized
a. in chronological order.
b. by cause and effect.
c. by order of importance.
d. both b and c
16. This passage uses which point of view?
a. first person
b. second person
c. third person
d. no point of view
17. This passage is written from whose perspective?
a. that of the residents
b. that of an outside consultant
c. that of the shopping mall developer
d. the reader’s perspective
18. The choice of the word dire suggests that the
consequences of the merger would be
a. minimal.
b. expected.
c. disastrous.
d. welcome.
19. Which words best describe the style of this pas-
sage?
a. informal, conversational
b. descriptive, storylike
c. formal, businesslike
d. scattered, confusing
20. The tone of this passage is
a. sad.
b. foreboding.
c. threatening.
d. joyous.
Point of View
It is important to think about who is telling the story.
This narrator may be someone who is a part of the
story, or it may be someone outside of the events. The
point of view refers to who is telling the story, which
makes a difference in how much information the
reader is given.
Some stories use a first-person point of view. In
this case, one of the characters is telling the story, and
readers see the events through this person’s eyes.
After the game, Henry and I grabbed a pizza
with the rest of the team. We hung out for a
couple of hours, then headed home. By then, I
was totally exhausted.

45
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Notice that when an author uses a first-person point
of view, the narrator uses the pronouns I, me, us, and
we, and it seems as if the character is speaking directly
to the reader. The narrator knows only his or her own
thoughts and feelings, not those of the other charac-
ters, and often shares his or her attitudes and opinions
with the readers.
Other stories use a third-person point of view,
in which the narrator is not a character in the story
and does not participate in the events.
After the game, Deon said he would join Henry
and the rest of the team for pizza. They stayed for
a couple of hours before heading home,
exhausted.
When a story is told from the third-person point of
view, the narrator will use pronouns such as he, she,
and they when discussing the characters. Also, the nar-
rator often knows the thoughts and feelings of every
character.
Let’s practice what you’ve just reviewed. Read the
next three paragraphs, think about who is telling the
story, and determine the point of view of the passage.
As soon as the bell rang, a tall, thin woman with
dark hair rose from behind the desk. The class
quieted as she began to speak.
“Good morning, class,” she stated. “I am Ms.
Wolfe, and I will be your English teacher this
semester. Go ahead and open your books to the
table of contents, and let’s get started.”
Ms. Wolfe picked up the text from her desk, and
opened it to the first page.
What is the point of view of this passage?
__________________________________________
46
This passage is written in the third-person point
of view. The narrator is not a character in the story.
Notice that the pronoun I is included in the passage.
However, it is spoken by one of the characters, not the
narrator.
Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
Ms. Crawford has been a model citizen since
she moved to Springfield in 1985. She started
out as a small business owner and quickly grew
her business until it was one of the major
employers in the region. In 1991, her company
was profiled in BusinessWeek magazine. Her
innovative business model includes a great deal
of community work and fundraising, the
rewards of which have brought deep and lasting
benefits to Springfield and its citizens. Today,
she is being honored with Springfield’s Citizen
of the Century Award to recognize all her cut-
ting-edge efforts on behalf of our community.
21. This paragraph uses what point of view?
a. first-person point of view
b. second-person point of view
c. third-person point of view
d. It can’t be determined from the information
provided.
Read the passage and answer the question that follows.
There will be dire consequences for residents if
a shopping mall is built on the east side of
town. First, the shopping mall will interfere
with the tranquil and quiet atmosphere that we
now enjoy. Second, the mall will attract a huge
number of shoppers from a variety of sur-
rounding areas, which will result in major traf-
fic congestion for those of us who live here. But
most importantly, to build the shopping mall,
many of us will be asked to sell our homes and
 – REA D I NG C O M P R E H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –
relocate, and this kind of displacement should
be avoided at all costs.
22. This passage uses which point of view?
a. first person
b. second person
c. third person
d. no point of view
Theme
As we read, we look for and try to understand the
messages and information that the author wants to
share. Sometimes, the author’s message is very obvi-
ous. Other times, we have to look a little harder to
find it. The theme of a story is its underlying mes-
sage. In a fable, the moral of the story is the theme.
In fiction, this overall message is usually implied,
rather than being directly stated, and may involve the
following:
n attitudes n opinions
n beliefs n perceptions
The theme often leaves you with ideas, a conclusion,
or a lesson that the writer wants you to take away
from the story. Often, this lesson relates to life, soci-
ety, or human nature. As you read, think about what
the author’s message might be. Consider the charac-
ters’ words and actions, the tone, the plot, and any
repeated patterns to see what views of the writer these
portray.
Think about the story of the three little pigs.
One could say that the theme of this story is that it is
best to do a job the right way the first time. The
author does not directly state this message, but this is
a lesson or opinion that readers might take away from
the story.
As an example, say you’re reading a novel about
a poor woman’s journey from Korea to the United
States in the 1940s. It may describe the details of the
character’s childhood on a farm in Korea, the boat
trip that she took as a young adult to San Francisco,
the elderly man who swindled her out of her life sav-
ings because she didn’t speak English, the difficulties
she had finding a job, and the satisfaction she ulti-
mately felt as she worked hard to make a living. These
are the facts of the plot, but the theme of the novel is
something very different. Here are some possible
themes:
n The theme could be a message or lesson. For
instance: You can reach your goals more easily if
you block out your problems and focus only on your
goal.
n The theme could be a question. For instance: Do
you lose part of yourself when you leave your cul-
ture? Is it better to stay where you are and face the
difficulties there, or do you become more of your
real self when you leave your culture and make your
own way in the world?
n The theme could be a specific idea about life or
people. For instance: Desperation brings out the
very worst in people and the very best.
n The theme could also be a simpler, more general
concept. For instance, perhaps the novel is an
exploration of the theme of youth and aging.
Note that more than one theme may be valid for a
work of fiction, and other readers may come to a dif-
ferent conclusion than you do. This is part of the
reward of reading fiction—seeing the ideas behind
what you read and discussing those ideas with other
people. (Often these are ideas about life, which will be
interesting to you as you make your own way in the
world.)
47
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NOTE
Although a work of fiction may have more
than one possible theme, don’t worry that
this will cause confusion on the GED ® RLA
test. Every question about theme on the
GED® RLA test will have only one, clearly
correct answer. There are no “trick” ques-
tions on the exam.
Finding the Theme
As you read a work of fiction closely, pay attention to
the following elements in order to find the theme:
n Repetition: Note whether the author repeats cer-
tain words, phrases, symbols, actions, or ideas, or
whether certain characters reappear throughout a
story. This is often a clue that those words,
phrases, characters, and so on have a special
importance in the story—and to the theme.
n Connections: In many stories, one specific thing
may not be repeated, but if you look closely, you’ll
find that the writer uses repetition in a more
complicated way. For example, let’s say the first
chapter of a book takes place in a house by a river,
48
which is flooding after a bad storm. The climax of
the book takes place on a train that’s traveling
through the dusty plains of Texas. The end of the
book takes place on a street in New York City,
where children have uncapped a fire hydrant and
are playing in the water. While a river, a plain, and
a fire hydrant are very different things, there is a
pattern running through the book: water—either
too much or too little. Ask yourself if this pattern
helps to reveal the theme.
n Timing: Consider when events occur in a story
and whether there is a pattern. For example, let’s
say in one short story, whenever the main charac-
ter, a firefighter, puts on his firefighting uniform
in the morning, a mouse—a common symbol for
cowardice and weakness—peeks its head out of a
hole in the wall. Is this pattern a reminder that we
all have to battle our weaknesses? Or that even
when someone acts bravely, he or she is still vul-
nerable? Patterns are usually connected to the
theme and can help us understand it.
n Omission: Often it’s what a writer doesn’t write
about that’s most important. Is there a detail or
event that’s glaringly left out of the story? This
may be directly tied to the theme.
 – REA D I NG C O M P R E H E N S I O N : BI G P I C T U R E T O O L S –

Practice
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Four Simple Tips to Help You Land a Great Job

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careers, searching for a job is never easy. In today’s high-tech society, many potential employers
are turning to social media to learn more about you.
“Before you even walk through the door for your first interview, it is highly likely the person
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Queen.com. “The way you present yourself online speaks volumes to hiring managers about your
tech savvy and comfort level with social media—both critical skills demanded by virtually every
employer.”
With technology playing an established role in our lives and social networks easily accessible
to potential employers, establishing a strong digital footprint and personal brand is crucial to suc-
cess. So how can you use technology to land that first job and make the best first impression?
Here are four top tech tools and social media tips for landing your dream job:
1. Get organized. While it may seem like a minor detail, one of the first things you should do
is get a professional e-mail address. The college e-mail or cutesy address you created back
in high school won’t impress a job recruiter.
2. Leverage your networks and set informational interviews. Make a target list of employers you’d
like to work for and do some research about them, identifying one person from each company
whom you’d like to meet. Reach out to that person and explain that you’re really interested in
the company and what his or her department does. Then ask if he or she will take five minutes
to sit down and tell you how he or she got started and give you some advice.
3. Put your best “digital foot” forward. You have one chance to make a first impression, so make
sure it’s a good one. This means not only dressing professionally but also using your style
(both online and off) to demonstrate your personal interests. Building your personal brand
and establishing relationships within the industry will help open doors to opportunities you
may not have discovered otherwise. Make sure that your online presence is up to date and
also reflects your best attributes. This includes maintaining a consistent resume and work
experience information across your networks to build familiarity among possible recruiters.
4. Lead with your strengths. Ask your friends and previous employers what your strengths are,
and use specific examples during your interview to highlight them. You can also use this
opportunity to demonstrate your experience with technology. If you are consistently told how
well organized you are, share a previous work experience that demonstrates how you used
technology and what value this brings to the employer. If you have a laptop or a tablet com-
puter, consider bringing it to the interview to show off your portfolio of work. This instantly
demonstrates you’re on the cutting edge of new technology—a value for any employer.

These seemingly simple tips can help you stand out from the crowd and boost your chances of
finding that great job.

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23. Of the following choices, which skills does the
author emphasize as being important to poten-
tial employers?
a. leadership and the ability to resolve conflict
b. digital literacy and expertise with Internet
communications
c. loyalty and a strong work ethic
d. creativity and knowledge of computer
hardware
24. Based on the passage, which of the following
statements would the author most likely make
when advising someone who was recently laid
off and is in the process of applying for jobs?
a. Update your career wardrobe and hire a
professional to revise your resume.
b. Consider getting retrained in a field that is
growing in career opportunities.
c. Evaluate how your job qualifications can be
demonstrated through the use of technology.
d. Schedule as many informational interviews
as you can at each company you are
interested in, and attend a weekly job-
support group.
Common themes you may have found in read-
ing might include:
n Crime does not pay.
n It is important to be honest.
n Be happy with what you have.
n Money cannot buy happiness.
n Keep going when things get tough.
n Do not be afraid to try something new.
Give it a try. Look for the theme as you read the fol-
lowing passage.
Camilla usually looked forward to Friday nights,
but this week was the definite exception. Instead
of going to the movies with her friends, she would
50
be stuck at home, helping Mom get ready for
tomorrow’s garage sale. As she walked into the
house, Camilla could see that Mom was already
prepared for the long night ahead of them.
“Hey, get that scowl off your face and throw on
your overalls,” Mom called out cheerfully. “It
won’t be that bad.”
Camilla changed clothes and headed to the
garage, dragging her feet the whole way. Mom
was elbow deep in an old cardboard box. She
pulled out a raggedy, old stuffed dog.
“Mr. Floppy!” Camilla cried, excited to see her
old friend. “I haven’t seen him in years!”
“Your very first soft friend,” Mom reminisced.
“I’m assuming you’ll be keeping him? Or would
you like a 25-cent price tag to stick on his ear?”
Camilla set the old dog aside. She would
definitely keep him. She helped Mom empty the
rest of the box, sticking price tags on other old
toys and books. They continued through the
boxes, stopping to look through old photo albums
together, telling funny stories about some of the
useless gifts they’d collected, laughing at the
hand-me-down clothes that had arrived at their
house over the years, and modeling the silliest of
them.
After a few hours, Mom looked at her watch.
“Wow! It’s nearly 8:00 already. Should we order
a pizza?”
Camilla couldn’t believe how late it was. She
looked at her mom—who was wearing dusty
overalls, five strands of Aunt Edna’s old beads,
and Granny’s wide-brimmed Sunday bonnet—
and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. This was
the best Friday night she could remember.
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What is the theme of the story?
a. Memories are a special part of life.
b. It is important to get rid of old items.
c. Families should spend weekends together.
d. Sometimes things turn out to be better than
expected.
At the beginning of the story, Camilla did not want to
spend the evening helping her mom. By the end, she
was having a great time. Choice d is the theme of this
story. Some of the other answer choices represent
ideas that were presented in the story, but the underly-
ing message that the author wanted to portray is that
things can turn out to be more fun than we think they
will be.
Synthesis
Suppose you were doing a research paper. You would
select a topic, then to be sure you learned as much as
possible, you would search a variety of texts to find
information about that topic. After reading each of
your sources, you would put together all the informa-
tion you learned. This combination of information
would provide a clear understanding of the subject.
As readers, there are times when we have to com-
bine information to gain a complete understanding of
the text. Synthesis means putting ideas from multiple
sources together. Sometimes, readers synthesize infor-
mation from different parts of a single text. Other
times, they must put together information from more
than one text.
Read the passage below.
Roger quietly walked to the shelf. He pulled his
ball cap down on his head as he quickly looked at
the items neatly lined up in front of him. Then,
he grabbed a package of crackers, shoving it into
his backpack as he hurried to the door, trying not
to make any sound.
Think about what you know so far. Roger is being
quiet; he grabs something off of a shelf and tries to
quickly sneak out the door. What do you think is hap-
pening? Now, continue reading.
Roger’s mom heard him opening the front door.
She put the sleeping baby in her cradle, then
hurried to see her son. “Honey, did you find
something in the pantry to take for a snack?”
“Yeah, Mom,” Roger replied. “I found the peanut
butter crackers and grabbed a package. Those are
my favorites. Thanks for getting them.”
“Do you want me to drive you to baseball
practice so you’re not late?” Mom asked.
“No, I don’t want you to wake Amy. I know she
hasn’t been sleeping much lately.”
“You’re a good big brother and a great son. Be
careful.”
Did this new information change your mind about
what was happening? You may have thought Roger
was being sneaky or doing something he should not
have been doing. When you synthesize the new infor-
mation, you gain a deeper understanding of the situa-
tion. Roger is being quiet so he doesn’t wake up his
sister, he’s taking crackers that his mom bought for
him off of a shelf in the pantry, and he’s in a hurry to
get to practice.
When you synthesize information, ask yourself:
n Why is this new information relevant?
n Why was the new information given?
n How does it relate to the first part of the passage?
n How does this help me gain a deeper understand-
ing of what I’ve read?
n In what ways does the new information change
my ideas about the passage?
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Another common type of question found on the
GED® Reasoning through Language Arts exam is an
extended synthesis question. First, you will read a
passage. Then, you will be given a question. An addi-
tional piece of information about the passage or the
author will be given within the question itself. You will
have to combine the new information with what you
read in the text to gain a deeper understanding of the
passage.
First, figure out how the new information relates
to what you previously read. Then, try to determine
how this information helps you understand the read-
ing passage in a deeper or different way.
Let’s try an example. Be sure to read the passage
carefully so that you will be able to understand the
question that follows.
The winter had been especially cold. A thick,
snowy blanket had covered the landscape for
what seemed like months. Each day, the stack of
firewood beside the house grew visibly smaller
and smaller. This concerned Ella terribly. She
continued to hope that the snow would be gone
before the firewood.
Ella turned away from the window and
returned to her writing. Somehow, writing about
summer made the house feel warmer. Feeling the
sun’s bright rays on her face, walking barefoot in
the green grass, fishing with her family,
swimming in the refreshing water—these were
things Ella dreamed and wrote of during the long
winter months.
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Here’s an extended synthesis question:
The author of the passage lived during the
nineteenth century in the midwestern United
States. Based on the information in the story, as
well as knowing the information about the
author, which of the following best explains
Ella’s concern over the firewood?
a. Most nineteenth-century homes had large
fireplaces.
b. There was not much firewood available
during the 1800s.
c. Winters in the midwestern United States are
extremely cold.
d. Before electricity, people depended on
firewood for heat and cooking.
Keep in mind that to correctly answer this question,
you need to combine the information in the passage
with the new information given in the question. Sev-
eral answer choices could make sense. For example, it
is true that many nineteenth-century homes had fire-
places and that winters in parts of the United States
can be very cold. However, these facts do not consider
the pieces of information that you need to synthesize.
From reading the passage, you know that Ella
needs firewood. After learning the time period during
which she lived, you are able to see how important
firewood was for her survival. During the nineteenth
century, homes did not have electricity. People had to
have firewood to warm their homes and cook their
meals. Choice d best synthesizes the information from
both sources.
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Let’s try another example. Read the passage care-
fully, then read the question. Determine how the
information in the question is related to the passage.
As the real estate agent walked up to the home,
she admired her own photo on the “For Sale” sign
in the front yard. She was anxious to get this
home sold. Once inside with the homeowners, she
explained the next step in selling their house.
“Your beautiful home has been on the
market for several weeks now without any offers.
We need to consider our options. The carpet is
definitely a little bit worn in one bedroom, the
bathroom wallpaper is a bit out of date, and the
front yard could use some new flowers. These
issues could be deterring potential buyers. I think
it is time we lower the price of your home by at
least 15%, if you want to get it sold.”
The real estate agent will qualify for a large
bonus if she sells one more house within the
next month. Which of the following best
describes the agent’s motives in the passage?
a. Her first concern is selling the house quickly
so she can get the bonus.
b. Her profit depends on the house selling for
the highest possible price.
c. She knows it is best for the owners to get the
best price for their home.
d. Her clients’ home is currently overpriced for
the neighborhood.
Based on the information in the passage, we do not
know whether the home is overpriced, so choice d is
incorrect. Choices b and c may be true. However, these
do not take into consideration the additional informa-
tion provided within the question. This information
lets us know that if the house sells quickly, the agent
will receive a large bonus. When added to the informa-
tion in the passage that states that she wants to lower
the price of the house, we can figure out that her moti-
vation for dropping the price is to sell the house
quickly so that she can get the bonus. So, the correct
answer is choice a.
TIP
Remember to carefully read the extended
synthesis questions. Look for the additional
information within the question and think
about how this information relates to the
passage. The information is there for a rea-
son. You will be expected to use it as you
consider your answer.
Compare and Contrast
We spend a good deal of our lives comparing and con-
trasting things. When we want to explain something,
for example, we often compare it to something else
(showing how two or more things are similar). We
might say, for example, that mint chocolate chip ice
cream tastes just like a peppermint-filled chocolate, or
that our new boss looks a lot like Will Smith. When we
want to show how things are different or not alike, we
contrast them. We might say that our friend Sam
looks nothing like his brother Pat, or that Italian is a
much harder language to learn than Spanish.
Comparing and contrasting are common tech-
niques in writing, too. They can be used for many
reasons—for example, to describe a character more
colorfully or to provide support for an argument that
the writer is making.
Transitions Used to Compare
and Contrast
As you read the next passage, about gardeners and
parents, notice the transitional words and phrases that
indicate when the writer is comparing (showing simi-
larity) and when the writer is contrasting (showing
difference). There are several transitional words and
phrases writers use to show comparison and contrast.
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Here are some words and phrases that can be These words and phrases can be used to show difference:
used to show similarity:
n on the other hand
n similarly n on the contrary
n likewise n however
n like n nevertheless
n just as n conversely
n in the same way n yet
n and n but
n also

Practice
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Gardeners and Parents

Planting a garden is a lot like having a family. Both require a great deal of work, especially as they
grow and as the seasons change. As summer days lengthen, your plants become dependent on
you for sustenance, much like your children depend on you for food and drink. Like a thirsty child
asking for a drink of water, your plants do the same. Their bent, wilted “body” language, trans-
lated, issues a demand much the way your child requests milk or juice. When their collective thirsts
are quenched, you see the way they both thrive in your care. The fussy child becomes satisfied,
and the plant reaches toward the sun in a showy display. You might also find that you have to clean
the space around your plants much like you would pick up toys and clothes that have been left
helter-skelter in your toddler’s room. Similarly, plants shed spent petals, roses need to be pruned,
and weeds need to be pulled. To keep children healthy, parents protect their children against dis-
ease with medicine, and gardeners do the same with insect repellent. To nourish them, parents give
children vitamins, and gardeners use fertilizer, as both promote healthy growth. As children grow
and become adults, they need less and less care. However, here’s where the similarity ends. While
plants die or become dormant during winter, children still maintain a vital role in the family unit.

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25. In this passage, the writer compares being a
parent to being a _________________.
26. Which of the following pairs shows a contrast,
not a comparison, between being a parent and
being a gardener?
a. Parents give vitamins to children to keep
them healthy; gardeners give fertilizer to
their plants to keep them healthy.
b. Parents pick up toys and clothes in their
children’s room; gardeners pull up weeds
around their plants.
c. Children remain an important part of the
family after they grow up; plants die or
become dormant after the growing season
ends.
d. Children ask parents for milk or juice when
they are thirsty; plants bend or wilt when
they need water, showing gardeners that they
are thirsty.
Reading More Closely
As you practice more and more with reading passages,
you will begin to notice how specific sentences or
paragraphs relate to each other and to the passage as a
whole. When you are aware of how an author has
structured his or her writing, it will help you under-
stand the writer’s meaning even better. Structure,
word choice, description, and detail all give shape to a
text and affect its meaning.
The following excerpt is from the speech that
John F. Kennedy gave when he was sworn in as presi-
dent in 1961.
EXCERPT
The world is very different now. For man
holds in his mortal hands the power to abol-
ish all forms of human poverty and all forms
of human life. And yet the same revolution-
ary beliefs for which our forebears fought
are still at issue around the globe—the
belief that the rights of man come not from
the generosity of the state, but from the
hand of God.
As you read this passage closely, you should pay atten-
tion to certain words or phrases and how they build
on each other.
The phrase mortal hands has a more powerful
meaning than if the word mortal was not included.
Words such as revolutionary beliefs and forebears rein-
force Kennedy’s appeal to the audience to make a
connection with the birth of the nation.
The structure and word choice of the passage
affect its tone and meaning and support Kennedy’s
purpose to inspire his audience. Later on in the speech
are six paragraphs that all begin with the same pattern:
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual
origins we share. . . .
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks
of the free. . . .
To those peoples in the huts and villages across the
globe struggling to break the bonds of mass
misery. . . .
To our sister republics south of our border. . . .
To that world assembly of sovereign states. . . .
Finally, to those nations who would make them-
selves our adversary. . . .
This is a great example of the use of repetition and
parallel structure to strengthen meaning and focus
the listener’s attention.
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Practice
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

“The Magnolia Tree,” from the Memoir Cross Creek (1942), by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
I do not know the irreducible minimum of happiness for any other spirit than my own. It is impos-
sible to be certain even of mine. Yet I believe that I know my tangible desideratum. It is a tree-top
against a patch of sky. If I should lie crippled or long ill, or should have the quite conceivable mis-
fortune to be clapped in jail, I could survive, I think, given this one token of the physical world. I
know that I lived on one such in my first days at the Creek.
The tree was a magnolia, taller than the tallest orange trees around it. There is no such thing
in the world as an ugly tree, but the magnolia grandiflora has a unique perfection. No matter how
crowded it may be, no matter how thickly holly and live oak and sweet gum may grow up around
it, it develops with complete symmetry, so that one wonders whether character in all things, human
as well as vegetable, may not be implicit. Neither is its development ruthless, achieved at the
expense of its neighbors, for it is one of the few trees that may be allowed to stand in an orange
grove, seeming to steal nothing from the expensively nourished citrus. The young of the tree is
courteous, waiting for the parent to be done with life before presuming to take it over. There are
never seedling magnolias under or near an old magnolia. When the tree at last dies, the young
glossy sprouts appear from nowhere, exulting in the sun and air for which they may have waited a
long hundred years.
The tree is beautiful the year around. It need not wait for a brief burst of blooming to justify
itself, like the wild plum and the hawthorn. It is handsomer than most dressed only in its broad
leaves, shining like dark polished jade, so that when I am desperate for decoration, I break a few
sprays for the house and find them an ornament of which a Japanese artist would approve. The
tree sheds some of its leaves just before it blooms, as though it shook off old garments to be
cleansed and ready for the new. There is a dry pattering to earth of the hard leaves and for a brief
time the tree is parched and drawn, the rosy-lichened trunk gray and anxious. Then pale green
spires cover the boughs, unfolding into freshly lacquered leaves, and at their tips the blooms
appear. When, in late April or early May, the pale buds unfold into great white waxy blossoms,
sometimes eight or ten inches across, and the perfume is a delirious thing on the spring air, I would
not trade one tree for a conservatory filled with orchids. The blooms, for all their size and thickness,
are as delicate as orchids in that they reject the touch of human hands. They must be cut or broken
carefully and placed in a jar of water without brushing the edges, or the creamy petals will turn in
an hour to brown velvet. Properly handled, they open in the house as on the tree, the cupped buds
bursting open suddenly, the full-blown flowers shedding the red-tipped stamens in a shower, so
that in a quiet room you hear them sifting onto the table top. The red seed cones are as fine as
candles. They mature slowly from the top of the tree down, as a Christmas tree is lighted.

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27. To what does the author compare magnolia
blooms?
a. orchids
b. candles
c. Christmas trees
d. jade
28. The passage describes the yearly cycle of a mag-
nolia tree. Select the answer that puts the fol-
lowing statements in chronological order:
1. The tree is covered in flower buds.
2. The tree grows fresh green leaves.
3. The air around the tree is perfumed.
4. Leaves fall off the tree.
a. 3, 2, 4, 1
b. 2, 3, 4, 1
c. 1, 2, 4, 3
d. 4, 2, 1, 3
Interpreting What You Read
As we touched on, your job as a reader is not only to
understand the literal meaning of a word, paragraph,
article, or book, but to read between the lines in order
to discover the full meaning of the text. Just as in spo-
ken conversation, where you have many ways to com-
municate what you are thinking—through a joke, a
story, even a facial expression—writers have many
techniques to communicate with their readers.
Text with layers of meaning is often more color-
ful, more convincing, more emotional, or more
meaningful than text that simply spells out what the
author is trying to say in a clear, factual way.
It’s important to try to pick up on a writer’s
clues, just as, for example, you would pick up on a
look of disappointment when a friend says, “That’s
fine.” You immediately recognize that your friend
does not really think that whatever happened is fine.
This section describes the techniques that writers
use—many of which you probably have already
picked up on—and how to identify them.
Interpreting Specific Words
On the GED® RLA test, you may be asked to figure out
the definition of vocabulary words by looking at their
context—the words and meanings that surround the
vocabulary words.
For an example of how to do this, read the fol-
lowing paragraph about one of the nation’s favorite
pastimes.
Reality TV
Most reality TV shows center on two com-
mon motivators: fame and money. The
shows transform waitresses, hairdressers,
investment bankers, counselors, and teach-
ers, to name a few, from obscure figures to
household names. A lucky few successfully
parlay their 15 minutes of fame into celeb-
rity. Even if you are not interested in fame,
you can probably understand the desire for
lots of money. Watching people eat large
insects, reveal their innermost thoughts to
millions of people, and allow themselves to
be filmed 24 hours a day for a huge financial
reward seems to have mass appeal for view-
ers. Whatever their attraction, these shows
are among the most popular on television,
and every season, they proliferate like weeds
in an untended garden. The networks are
quickly replacing more traditional dramas
and comedies with reality TV programs,
which earn millions of dollars in advertising
revenue. Whether you love it or hate it, one
thing is for sure—reality TV is here to stay!
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One of the more difficult words in the paragraph is
obscure. With a little detective work, we can determine
the definition of that word by looking at how it is used
in the paragraph. Let’s look at the context in which it
appears:
The shows transform waitresses, hairdressers,
investment bankers, counselors, and teachers, to
name a few, from obscure figures to household
names.
Given the sentence, what can we tell about obscure?
Well, since the shows transform waitresses, hairdress-
ers, investment bankers, counselors, and teachers from
one position—obscure figures—to another position—
household names—that immediately tells us that an
obscure figure and a household name are two different
things.
Furthermore, we know from the sentence that
the people in question are involved in typical, every-
day jobs (waitresses, hairdressers, bankers, etc.) and
that from this position, they are transformed into
household names, which means they achieve some
level of fame and notoriety. Now you can take a pretty
good guess at the meaning of obscure.
Before they become household names, the wait-
resses, hairdressers, investment bankers, counselors,
and teachers are
A. famous and notorious.
B. unknown and undistinguished.
C. unique and distinctive.
The correct answer, of course, is B. It certainly can’t be
A, because we know that these people are not yet
famous. The reality shows will make them famous, but
until that happens, they remain obscure. Answer C
doesn’t really make sense because we know from the
passage that these people are waitresses, hairdressers,
investment bankers, counselors, and teachers. Now,
these are all very respectable jobs, but they are fairly
common, so they wouldn’t be described as unique or
58
distinctive. Furthermore, we can tell that B is the cor-
rect answer because we can substitute the word
obscure with the word unknown or undistinguished in
the sentence and both would make sense.
How Much Context Do You Need?
In the previous example, you would still be able to
understand the main message of the passage even if
you didn’t know—or couldn’t figure out—the mean-
ing of obscure. In some cases, however, your under-
standing of a passage depends on your understanding
of a particular word or phrase. Can you understand
the following sentence, for example, without knowing
what adversely means?
Reality TV shows will adversely affect traditional
dramas and comedies.
What does adversely mean in this sentence? Is it some-
thing good or bad? As good a detective as you may be,
there simply aren’t enough clues in this sentence to tell
you what this word means. But a passage with more
information will give you what you need to determine
meaning from context.
Reality TV shows will adversely affect traditional
dramas and comedies. As reality TV increases in
popularity, network executives will begin cancel-
ing more traditional dramas and comedies and
replacing them with the latest in reality TV.
In the passage, adversely most nearly means
A. mildly, slightly.
B. kindly, gently.
C. negatively, unfavorably.
D. immediately, swiftly.
The correct answer is C, negatively, unfavorably. The
passage provides clues that allow you to determine the
meaning of adversely.
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Quiz (30) Natasha could not stop thinking about

Now you’ve had a chance to review some of the skills
needed to comprehend reading passages.
(35)
Directions: Read the following passages and choose
the one best answer to each question.
Questions 29 through 33 refer to the following passage.
(40)
What Will Happen with the Painting?
After hours of rummaging through the
various items that had been donated to the
charity over the weekend, Natasha was ready
to head home for the day. She had sorted the
(5) clothing, books, toys, housewares, and
sporting goods into the appropriate bins and
would tackle the task of pricing the items in
the morning. With any luck, the items would
find their place on the store shelves by
(10) tomorrow afternoon and be sold quickly.
As she turned to lock the door to the
storeroom, Natasha noticed a framed canvas
leaning against the wall. She wondered where
it had come from and why she hadn’t
(15) noticed it before now. She bent over to
examine the artwork and was amazed at the
bold colors and brushstrokes of the oil
painting and the detail in the carved
wooden frame. At the bottom corner of the
(20) piece, she noticed the signature of a world-
famous artist. Amazed, she stared at the
painting wondering whether it was authentic
or a fake. Natasha carefully traced the frame
with her finger, looking for any imperfections.
(25) She couldn’t help but wonder why someone
would part with such a beautiful, and
possibly valuable, piece of art. She carefully
covered the painting with a sheet and placed
it in a closet where it would be safe.
the painting. Her mind was filled with
questions that kept her awake most of the
night. Where had it come from? Was it really
the work of a famous artist? Why would
someone give away a piece of art that could
potentially be worth thousands of dollars?
Finally, she got out of bed and went to the
computer. She found the name of an art
history professor at the nearby university.
Maybe some of Natasha’s questions would
finally be answered.
29. Which is most likely the author’s purpose for
writing this passage?
a. to tell readers a true story
b. to inform readers about art history
c. to entertain readers with a fiction tale
d. to teach readers about a famous artist
30. Which is the meaning of the word authentic in
line 22?
a. old
b. genuine
c. famous
d. beautiful
31. Read the following sentence from the second
paragraph:
Natasha carefully traced the frame with her
finger, looking for any imperfections.
What is the meaning of imperfection?
a. perfect
b. improvement
c. type of disease
d. a flaw or defect

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32. Which statement is an example of a text-to-
world connection readers might make with the
passage?
a. I remember when I found a high-fashion
coat at a garage sale for only $5.
b. Art appreciation has been on the rise in
major cities.
c. I need to clean out my attic and donate what
I find to charity.
d. An art history book I read mentioned that
people sometimes don’t realize they own
valuable pieces of art.
33. Natasha spent many years working in an art
museum and has a keen eye for valuable oil
paintings. The charity she now volunteers with
donates money to the local children’s hospital,
which is known for its impressive research
program. Which sentence most accurately
describes Natasha?
a. She has a large art collection that she hopes
to expand.
b. She plans to return to the university and
teach about art.
c. She is generous and genuinely cares about
helping others.
d. She hopes to work in the field of medicine
or research someday.
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Questions 34 through 38 refer to the following passage.
Will Others Change Their Minds?
Since I was a boy, it has been difficult to
make friends. Many assumed that all
aristocrats thought themselves better than
others, but that was not the case. I never
(5) believed that being a member of the highest
social class made me more important than
anyone.
In the streets, people stepped far out of
my way, as if trying to avoid me. I smiled and
(10) tried to make eye contact, but no one would
meet my gaze. Groups of friends gathered on
street corners and in cafes, laughing together.
Loneliness filled my heart, and I longed to be
a part of one of their groups. Yet somehow, I
(15) would be excluded by circumstances that
many would call fortunate.
One day, I stopped at the farmers’
market in town to buy a piece of fruit. As I
paid the gentleman, a woman sneered and
(20) said, “Don’t you have servants to do your
shopping for you?” Several other customers
giggled and turned their backs. Smiling
politely, I thanked the man for the fruit and
walked away, listening to the whispers
(25) behind me.
As I walked away, I noticed a young boy
sitting alone beside the bakery. He was
crying, and many people walked past him
without stopping. I sat down beside him on
(30) the ground and asked why he was upset.
“I can’t find my mother. I stopped to
look in the window of the bakery. When I
turned back around, she was gone,” the boy
explained.
(35) I put my arm around him, explaining
that he was wise to stay in one place so that
his mother could find him. “You must feel
lonely,” I said. “I feel lonely, too, sometimes.
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We’ll stay here together until your mother
(40) returns.”
Very soon, a frantic young woman
came running down the street, calling out,
“William! William, where are you?”
The boy jumped up, and his mother
(45) ran to us and scooped up her son in her
arms, asking if he had been afraid.
“No, Mama,” William explained. “This
man kept me company.”
The woman looked at me and seemed
(50) surprised, then smiled warmly and thanked
me. William gave me a hug, then walked
away, hand in hand with his mother. As they
walked away, I realized a crowd had gathered
to watch the commotion. One person in the
(55) crowd smiled at me, then another, then
another. For the first time, I no longer felt
like a lonely outsider.
34. Which sentence from the passage reveals its
point of view?
a. I smiled and tried to make eye contact, but
no one would meet my gaze.
b. Groups of friends gathered on street corners
and in cafes, laughing together.
c. “Don’t you have servants to do your
shopping for you?”
d. He was crying, and many people walked past
him without stopping.
35. Considering the point of view from which the
story is told, which of the following is true?
a. The narrator is not one of the characters in
the story.
b. The narrator knows the motivations of all
the characters in the story.
c. Readers will know the thoughts and feelings
of only one character.
d. Readers will know the thoughts and feelings
of all the characters.
36. Reread the first paragraph. Which would best
describe someone who is an aristocrat?
a. friendly
b. gloomy
c. helpful
d. wealthy
37. Which statement is an example of a text-to-self
connection that readers might make with the
passage?
a. It was hard for me to make friends after I
moved to a new town, and for a while, I felt
like an outsider.
b. Farmers’ markets are growing in popularity.
c. There was a missing child on the news last
night, but he was found this morning, safe
and sound.
d. Our social studies book talks about class
conflict throughout history.
38. What is the theme of the story?
a. Friendship is a necessary part of life.
b. It is difficult to find happiness without
having great wealth.
c. Even young children are able to make a
difference in the world.
d. It is important not to judge people before
getting to know them.
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Answers and Explanations
1. Completed renewal application; current driver’s
license; acceptable proof of age, identification,
and address; proof of social security; money to
pay required fee
2. Social Security card, state or federal income tax
return, current pay stub, W-2 form
3. Every four years.
4. It is sent five to seven weeks before the current
license expires.
5. False: You can renew only by visiting a Motor
Vehicles Agency.
6. b. Because the writer hadn’t eaten since break-
fast, she is extremely hungry, greedy for food.
7. c. According to the passage, Robert Johnson
emerged from the blues.
8. b. According to the passage, Robert Johnson
died in 1938.
9. True. Johnson did influence many rock artists,
including Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones.
10. a. The author mentions that contemporary rock
bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling
Stones were influenced by Johnson’s music.
Johnson’s legendary musical influence is com-
municated when the author writes, “Again and
again, contemporary rock artists return to
Johnson.” Based on the text, the logical con-
clusion is that the contemporary artists are
turning to Johnson for musical inspiration.
11. c. Although “A Fleeting Life” might be an
appropriate description for Johnson’s brief
life span, it describes only one aspect of his
life. On the other hand, specifying that Rob-
ert Johnson is a blues guitar legend is more
specific and descriptive.
12. a. Is an opinion. It is debatable whether John-
son is the best blues guitarist of all time.
Choice b is fact. This is verifiable informa-
tion. Choice c is opinion because this is a
debatable proposition. Choice d is fact.
According to the passage, Robert Johnson
died in 1938.
62
13. c. The first sentence is the topic sentence,
which establishes that the shopping mall will
be bad for residents of the town. The
remaining sentences support that idea.
14. a. The style of the article is businesslike and
formal, and is targeted to a sophisticated
reader who would be capable of understand-
ing a word such as displacement. Therefore,
displacement is compatible with the style of
the article.
15. d. The writer warns the readers of the effects
that a shopping mall will have on residents
of the town and arranges those effects in
order of importance, saving the most impor-
tant effect for last.
16. a. The first-person point of view is reflected in
the use of the pronouns us and we.
17. a. The writer says that the shopping mall will
have “dire consequences” for the residents
and then uses the pronouns us and we,
which identify the writer with the residents.
18. c. The effects the writer includes here are all
very serious, especially the third effect—dis-
placement. The writer has chosen the word
dire to emphasize that seriousness.
19. c. The passage avoids any unnecessary descrip-
tion or details and uses formal rather than
casual language.
20. b. Each sentence explains a negative effect that
the shopping mall will have on the residents,
and the negativity of this passage is height-
ened by the word dire and the phrase
“avoided at all costs.”
21. Answer: Choice c is correct. This paragraph
uses the objective third-person point of view.
There is no I or we (first person) or you (second
person), and the only pronouns the paragraph
uses are the third-person pronouns she and her.
22. Answer: Choice a is correct. The first-person
point of view is reflected in the use of the pro-
nouns us and we.
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23. b. The main idea of the article is that employ-
ers are increasingly using social media, so
using social media and other tech tools can
improve your chances of finding a job. In the
third paragraph, the author states, With tech-
nology playing an established role in our lives
and social networks easily accessible to poten-
tial employers, establishing a strong digital
footprint and personal brand is crucial to suc-
cess. The writer then goes on to suggest tips
for improving the way readers use e-mail
and other Internet communications.
24. c. The underlying premise of the article is that
having strong computer-literacy skills is
important during job searches. More specifi-
cally, the author advises readers, Make sure
that your online presence is up to date and
also reflects your best attributes.
25. In this passage, the writer compares being a
parent to being a gardener. Throughout the
passage, the writer lists the many ways that
he or she thinks being a parent is similar to
being a gardener.
26. c. The last sentence of the passage points out
one difference between being a parent and
being a gardener: after parents raise their
children, the children still maintain an
important role in the family, but after gar-
deners raise plants, the plants die or go dor-
mant in the garden.
27. a. The author states, The blooms, for all their
size and thickness, are as delicate as orchids in
that they reject the touch of human hands.
28. d. According to the author, on magnolia trees,
there is a dry pattering to earth of the hard
leaves and for a brief time the tree is parched
and drawn, the rosy-lichened trunk gray and
anxious. Then pale green spires cover the
boughs, unfolding into freshly lacquered
leaves, and at their tips the blooms appear.
When, in late April or early May, the pale
buds unfold into great white waxy blossoms, . . .
the perfume is a delirious thing on the spring
air.
29. c. This passage was written to entertain. It is not
a true story, and although art history and a
famous artist are mentioned, the author
did not intend to teach readers about these
topics.
30. b. The passage tells us that Natasha wondered
whether the painting was “authentic or a
fake.” Fake is given as an antonym of authen-
tic. So, authentic means real, or genuine.
31. d. The root of imperfection is perfect. The prefix
im- means “not,” so imperfections cause
something to be not perfect. An imperfection
is a flaw or defect that makes something not
perfect. If you thought the answer was perfect,
you selected the root of the word. If you
chose “type of disease,” you may have con-
fused the word with infection.
32. b. Choices a and c are examples of text-to-self
connections because they relate ideas from
the passage to something personal. Choice d
makes connections between the passage and
other texts that have been read previously, so
it is an example of a text-to-text connections.
Choice b, making a connection between the
passage and something happening in the
world, is a text-to-world connection.
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33. c. This is an example of an expanded synthesis
question. To answer it correctly, you must
combine the information given in the ques-
tion with what you read in the passage.
Because Natasha used to work in a museum
and recognizes valuable oil paintings, she
probably had a pretty good idea that the art-
work was worth a lot of money. The charity
that now has the painting donates its money
to the children’s hospital, which uses some of
the money for research. Natasha was obvi-
ously excited about the painting being given
to the charity, which is probably because the
money it raises will be given to the hospital.
If she is so excited, she must really care
about the people who will benefit from the
donation.
34. a. This passage was written from the first-
person point of view. The narrator is one of
the characters in the story, and he uses pro-
nouns such as I and me. Notice that it sounds
as if the narrator is talking directly to the
reader.
35. c. Because the story tells a first-person account
of the events, only the narrator’s thoughts
and feelings will be revealed to the readers.
The narrator is a character in the story, and
he knows only his own ideas and motiva-
tions, unless the other characters reveal their
thoughts and feelings to him.
64
36. d. Context clues in the first paragraph explain
that an aristocrat is “a member of the highest
social class.” Generally, people in this class
have a lot of money. In this story, the aristo-
crat was also friendly, helpful, and possibly
even gloomy. However, by definition, aristo-
crats are usually wealthy. As you read,
remember to look for context clues in the
sentences surrounding the word they help to
define. In this case, the word aristocrats is
used in one sentence, and the definition or
explanation is in the sentence that follows.
37. a. Choices b and c are examples of text-to-
world connections because they relate ideas
from the passage to real-world events. Choice
d makes connections between the passage
and other texts that have been read previ-
ously, so they are examples of text-to-text
connections. Choice a, making a connection
between the passage and something personal,
is a text-to-self connection.
38. d. In this passage, people made assumptions
about the narrator without getting to know
him. As it turned out, these assumptions were
incorrect. After others saw his helpfulness
and the way he cared for the little boy, they
became aware of his true personality. The
narrator longed for friendships and showed
that he felt helping the little boy was impor-
tant, but these ideas were not the overall mes-
sage the author wanted to portray. Choice b is
the opposite of what the narrator believed, as
he did have great wealth but was not happy.
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REVIEW
In this chapter, you have learned several strategies to help you better comprehend reading
materials:

1. Point of view refers to who is telling the story. First-person point of view is when
one of the characters tells the story and readers see the events through his or her
eyes. Third-person point of view is when the story is told by a narrator who is out-
side of the story and does not participate in the events. However, he or she is often
aware of the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.
2. Authors usually write for one of the following purposes: to entertain, to inform, or
to persuade.
3. The theme of a story is the author’s underlying message. Usually, these beliefs,
attitudes, or perceptions are not directly stated; instead, the theme is a lesson that
readers take away from the story. The words and actions of the characters, the tone,
the plot, and repeated patterns in the story help to reveal the theme.
4. Synthesizing information means putting together information from multiple sources
or from more than one location within a source. Combining information can help
readers gain a deeper understanding of the text.
5. Making connections between the text and what they already know helps readers
better understand the material. The types of connections readers make include
text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world.
6. Before you begin reading a passage, be sure to pay attention to the purpose question
that precedes the passage as well as the comprehension questions that follow it.
7. Scan the passage first, then read it carefully, noticing important details and mentally
organizing the information. Remember to read the information in brackets, the
visual aids, and the captions as well.
8. After you read the passage completely, thoroughly read each question, paying
close attention to any information stated within the question itself.
9. Try to answer each question before you actually read the answer choices. Then, read
each choice carefully, paying close attention to every word, before selecting the
best answer based on the passage.
10. When reading fiction passages, be sure to pay attention to details, such as the
names of characters or places, and use the ideas that are included in the passage
to infer information that the author has not included.
11. As you read nonfiction passages, look for evidence that supports the main idea of
the passage. Be sure to pay close attention to details, names, dates, statistics, and
descriptive language that can enhance your comprehension of the material and
help you draw your own conclusions about the topic.

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READING
C H A P T E R

COMPREHENSION:
CLOSE-READING
SKILLS

C HAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter teaches you to identify main ideas and supporting
details, summarize passages, distinguish fact from opinion, rec-
ognize organizational structure, and make inferences—key close-
reading skills you’ll need to succeed on the GED® Reasoning
through Language Arts test.

W hile the previous chapter focused on higher-order concerns like the Author’s Purpose and Point
of View, this chapter provides more nuts-and-bolts tools that you’ll use to answer questions
about fiction and nonfiction texts. Now that you’ve mastered the bigger picture, it’s time to
zoom in and learn to break excerpts down and identify their component parts. When close-reading, or examin-
ing excerpts for elements that help you gain insight into the meaning of the text as a whole, you’ll need to be able
to focus on individual elements and understand what they contribute to the larger work.

Make Connections

To better comprehend text, it is important for readers to make connections between what they are reading and
what they already know. Not only does this help readers gain insight, but it also helps to make the material more
personal and relevant. This gives readers a deeper understanding of what they read.

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There are three main types of connections that
great readers make:
1. text-to-self
2. text-to-text
3. text-to-world
The connections readers make are neither correct nor
incorrect. The same text may remind different readers
of very different things. Connections with texts are
personal, and they will mean different things to differ-
ent readers. The important thing is that readers con-
nect with the text in a way that makes it meaningful
and understandable to them.
Text-to-Self
Connections that readers make between the reading
material and their own personal experiences are text-
to-self connections. These make the reading more
personal. Statements that could help you make such
connections include the following:
n This reminds me of when I . . .
n If I were this character, I would . . .
n If this ever happened to me, I might . . .
Think about the story we read about Camilla on
page 50 and the garage sale. Perhaps it reminded you
of a garage sale you had, of a time you came across
sentimental items, or of a situation in which time
flew by with your family. These would be text-to-self
connections.
Text-to-Text
Text-to-text connections occur when readers are able
to make connections between the reading material
and a text that they have previously read. To make
such connections, think about whether the text
reminds you of any of the following:
n a different book by the same author
n a book with similar characters, settings, or plots
n a book that includes similar situations or events
68
n a book about a similar topic
n information you read in a textbook, newspaper,
or magazine
Did Camilla’s story remind you of another character
who reconnected with his or her mom? Have you
ever read an article about having a garage sale? Can
you think of a book about discovering your family
history? If so, these would be examples of text-to-text
connections.
Text-to-World
Connections that readers make between the reading
material and something that happens in the real
world are text-to-world connections. To make this
type of connection, think about whether the text
reminds you of:
n information you read on the Internet
n something you saw on TV or heard on the radio
n events that are happening in the real world
If you connected Camilla’s story to a television docu-
mentary on relationships between parents and teenag-
ers or if it reminded you that there is a garage sale
happening in your neighborhood this weekend, you
made a text-to-world connection.
Main Idea
and Supporting Details
Every passage you read, regardless of the type of mate-
rial, has a main idea. The main idea, sometimes called
the big idea, is the central message of the text. To deter-
mine the main idea, first identify the topic of the text.
Then, think about the major point that the writer is
trying to tell readers about the topic. For example, if
the topic of a passage is loggerhead sea turtles, the
main idea could be as follows:
Loggerhead sea turtles return to the beach where
they were born to lay eggs.
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This would be the most important idea that the writer
wants you to take away from the passage. The rest of
the passage would contain information to help explain
the main idea. Examples, information, facts, and
details that help to explain and describe the main idea
are the supporting details. These help to strengthen
readers’ understanding of the main idea.
In the passage about sea turtles, supporting
details could include the following sentences:
The turtles crawl onto the beach at night.
They dig a hole in the sand and lay their eggs in
the hole.
After covering the nest with sand, the turtles
return to the ocean.
Each of these supporting details gives information
about the main idea.
There are four basic types of supporting details
that writers include to give readers a deeper under-
standing of the central message of the text. Here are
the types of supporting details:
n examples
n reasons
n facts
n descriptions
Being able to identify the main idea and supporting
details is helpful in organizing the information in a
passage. Readers are able to recognize the central mes-
sage of the text and identify examples, reasons, facts,
and descriptions to clarify and explain the message.
TIP
While the topic of a passage may be as short
as a single word, the main idea of a passage
is always a complete sentence.
Read the following paragraph. Look for the main idea
and supporting details as you read.
Before becoming the sixteenth president of the
United States, Abraham Lincoln showed a
pattern of behavior that caused him to earn the
nickname “Honest Abe.” Early in his career, he
worked in the grocery business. When his
partner passed away, leaving behind a mountain
of debt, Lincoln not only paid off his own part
of the money, but also his late partner’s share
because this was the honest thing to do. Later,
he worked as a lawyer. During that time in
history, members of the legal profession were
often recognized as being dishonest. However,
Lincoln earned the reputation among his
colleagues as being a man who never told a lie.
He even gave a lecture during which he
encouraged the audience to make honesty a
priority in their occupations.
What is the main idea of the passage?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
You probably recognized that the first sentence tells
the main idea of the passage. You may have stated that
the main idea is:
Abraham Lincoln earned the nickname
“Honest Abe.”
Abraham Lincoln showed a pattern of honesty
throughout his life.
People called Lincoln “Honest Abe” because of the
priority he placed on honesty.
Any of these would be correct. The main idea is the
most important piece of information, about which the
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rest of the paragraph is written. Each of these choices
captures that information.
Which of the following is a supporting detail
from the passage?
a. Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth
president of the United States.
b. Lincoln’s behavior caused him to be known
as “Honest Abe.”
c. Early in his career, Lincoln worked in the
grocery business.
d. Lincoln’s colleagues recognized him as a
man who never told a lie.
Supporting details from the passage include Lincoln
paid off his late partner’s debt as well as his own and he
gave a lecture encouraging the audience to be honest.
These statements support the main idea by giving
some reasons why he became known for his honesty.
Some reading passages include more than a sin-
gle paragraph. Every paragraph will have its own main
idea. The main idea is stated in the topic sentence. The
topic sentence basically sums up what the entire para-
graph tries to explain.
Look back at the paragraph about Lincoln. Can
you identify the topic sentence? It is the sentence that
tells the basic message of the paragraph.

Before becoming the sixteenth president of the

Did you recognize that answer choice d supports the
main idea of the passage? This statement is an example
of the honesty that caused people to call Lincoln
“Honest Abe.” Choice b restates the main idea. Choices
a and c both contain relevant or interesting informa-
tion, but they do not directly support the main idea,
so they are considered minor details rather than sup-
porting details.
What other supporting details are contained in the
passage?
United States, Abraham Lincoln showed a
pattern of behavior that caused him to earn
the nickname “Honest Abe.”
This is the first sentence of the paragraph, and it is the
topic sentence. Notice that it also contains the main
idea. The topic sentence can be anywhere in the para-
graph; however, it is generally either the first or last
sentence. Being able to locate the topic sentence can be
helpful in determining the main idea.

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

Excerpted from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s Cross Creek,

a Memoir about Life on a Florida Orange Grove (1942)
I see no reason for denying so fundamental an urge, ruin or no. It is more important to live the life
one wishes to live, and to go down with it if necessary, quite contentedly, than to live more profit-
ably but less happily. Yet to achieve content under sometimes adverse circumstances requires first
an adjustment within oneself, and this I had already made, and after that, a recognition that one is
not unique in being obliged to toil and struggle and suffer. This is the simplest of all facts and the
most difficult for the individual ego to accept.

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A close reading of this passage requires that you first pay
attention to the year in which it was published—1942.
What significant events happened in the United States
around this time? The nation was recovering from the
Great Depression and had just entered World War II.
Rawlings is writing about the years before this, but it is
important to know that these events were happening
because they may shape the viewpoint of the author.
In this excerpt, Rawlings talks about living the life
one wants to live, even if it means suffering difficulties,
instead of having more money but being less happy. She
acknowledges that the struggle she faced was not really
Practice
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
unique—everyone experiences difficulties. Rawlings
implies that complaining about one’s lot in life is a waste
of time. This summarizes her point of view, which may
have been shaped not only by her personal experiences
but by what was happening in society at this time.
What might be Rawlings’s purpose for writing
Cross Creek? Based on her style and viewpoint, the
reader can conclude that she wanted to provide read-
ers with a glimpse of life in a Southern community,
including its challenges and imperfections. In reading
this memoir, a person might connect on some level
with the struggles that Rawlings faced.

Excerpted from the Memoir Cross Creek (1942), by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
It is always bewildering to change one’s complete way of life. I was fitted by temperament and by
inheritance for farm and country living, yet to take it up after some thirty years of urban life was not
too easy. I had known my maternal grandfather’s Michigan farm, but there I was both guest and child,
and the only duties were to gather the eggs from the sweet-smelling hayloft. I had known my father’s
Maryland farm, but that farm was his love, his escape from Washington governmental routine, and we
lived there only in the too few summers. I had no duties there at all. There was only delight; the flow-
ering locust grove; the gentle cows in pasture; Rock Creek, which ran, ten miles away from its Wash-
ington park, at the foot of the hill of the locusts, where my brother and I learned to swim and to fish
for tiny and almost untakable fishes; long walks with my father through the woods where he hoped
someday to build a home; jaunts with him behind Old Dan in the carriage, to the county seat of Rock-
ville, or to buy mules at Frederick. These things got in the blood but were no preparation for running
a farm oneself.
When I bought the Florida orange grove with my inheritance that represented my share of the
Maryland farm, my father’s sister Madeline wrote me in lament. “You have in you,” she said, “that fatal
drop of Pearce blood, clamoring for change and adventure, and above all, for a farm. I never knew a
Pearce who didn’t secretly long for a farm. Mother had one, Uncle Pierman was ruined by one, there
was your father’s tragic experience. I had one, once.” I see no reason for denying so fundamental an
urge, ruin or no. It is more important to live the life one wishes to live, and to go down with it if neces-
sary, quite contentedly, than to live more profitably but less happily. Yet to achieve content under
sometimes adverse circumstances requires first an adjustment within oneself, and this I had already
made, and after that, a recognition that one is not unique in being obliged to toil and struggle and
suffer. This is the simplest of all facts and the most difficult for the individual ego to accept. As I look
back on those first difficult times at the Creek, when it seemed as though the actual labor was more
than I could bear, and the making of a living on the grove impossible, it was Martha who drew aside a
curtain and led me in to the company of all those who had loved the Creek and been tormented by it.

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1. Madeline’s attitude toward the writer’s decision
to purchase the farm could best be described as
a. nostalgic for days gone by.
b. enthusiastic but concerned.
c. understanding but foreboding.
d. indifferent.
2. The passage suggests which of the following
about the writer’s decision to purchase the farm
in Cross Creek?
a. She deeply regretted her decision because of
the amount of work required to run the
farm.
b. She was ready to separate from her
domineering family and live on her own on
the farm.
c. She was enthusiastic about owning the farm
and appreciated the experiences that
prepared her for this endeavor.
d. She had a deep desire for rural life and knew
she must fulfill this longing to be truly
happy.
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3. In the last sentence, the Creek refers to
a. a farm in Michigan.
b. an orange grove in Florida.
c. Rock Creek, ten miles from Washington, DC.
d. a farm in Maryland.
4. The phrase it was Martha who drew aside a cur-
tain is a metaphor that could be best inter-
preted as
a. Martha opened the curtains of the author’s
house, filling it with sunlight.
b. Martha gave the author clarity by offering an
inside perspective.
c. Martha alleviated some of the author’s
burden at the Creek by opening the curtains
and doing other household tasks.
d. none of the above.
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Reading Comprehension Review

Use the following passage to answer questions 5 and 6.

FDA Widens Look at Arsenic in Apple Juice

Some consumers are understandably surprised to learn that arsenic is present in water, air, and soil,
and as a result, it can be found in certain foods and beverages, including apple juice and juice con-
centrates. Arsenic is present in the environment as a naturally occurring substance and also as a
result of contamination from human activity, such as past use of fertilizers and arsenic-based pesti-
cides, which may still be in the soil, explains Donald Zink, PhD, senior science adviser at the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “While envi-
ronmental contaminants like arsenic are unavoidable in food,” says Zink, “the goal is to keep the
levels of arsenic that people consume over the course of their lives as low as possible.”
That’s where the FDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) come in. Their job
is to monitor food and the environment and take action when needed to protect the American
public. The FDA has been testing and monitoring fruit juices, including apple juice, for arsenic
content for more than 20 years, says Michael R. Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods.
“We are confident in the overall safety of apple juice consumed in this country because we con-
tinue to find that apple juice, on average, contains low amounts of arsenic.”
In fact, the FDA’s most recent tests done in 2010 and 2011 show on average about three parts
of arsenic in every one billion parts of apple juice. That is lower than the 10 parts per billion (ppb)
set by the EPA as the maximum level allowed in public drinking water.
“Our test results over many years support the overall safety of apple juice,” says Taylor, “but
we see a small percentage of individual samples tested that contain higher levels of arsenic. We
want to minimize the public’s exposure to arsenic in foods as much as we can.” For that reason, the
FDA plans to consider all the relevant evidence, and based on this work, it may set a guidance or
other maximum level to further reduce arsenic in apple juice and juice products.
To further protect the public’s health, the FDA is also taking the following actions:
n Enhancing its surveillance of arsenic in apple juice and juice concentrate. The agency will
shortly have results for an additional 90 samples of apple juice and juice concentrate and
soon after will sample additional types of juice and juice concentrates.
n Continuing to test samples of apple juice imported into the United States from China. The
most recent results included more than 70 samples from China, and 95% of these con-
tained less than the 10 ppb level used for drinking water.
n Working with the EPA to coordinate the review of the risk assessment being prepared and
discussing other steps the two agencies can take to reduce the overall levels of arsenic in
the environment and in foods.
The bottom line is that the FDA is working hard to ensure the safety of the foods people con-
sume and to do so based on the best science. And the best thing families can do is to consume a
variety of foods and beverages and follow a well-balanced diet consistent with the Dietary Guide-
lines for Americans.

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5. What is arsenic?
a. It is a preservative added to apple juice and
other fruit juices to increase their shelf life.
b. It is a naturally occurring element that can
be hazardous to your health if you consume
too much of it.
c. It is a vitamin found in apple juice and other
fruit juices that can be hazardous to your
health if you consume too much of it.
d. It is an artificial sweetener used in beverages
to reduce calorie levels.
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6. In the following sentence, what does 10 ppb
mean? The most recent results included more
than 70 samples from China, and 95% of these
contained less than the 10 ppb level used for
drinking water.
a. 10 percent per beverage
b. 10 parts of pesticides in beverages
c. 10 parts per billion
d. none of the above
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Use the following passage to answer questions 7 and 8.

Excerpted from Army Letters from an Officer’s Wife, 1871–1888, by Frances M.A. Roe
Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory, October 1871.
After months of anticipation and days of weary travel we have at last got to our army home! As you
know, Fort Lyon is fifty miles from Kit Carson, and we came all that distance in a funny looking stage
coach called a “jerkey,” and a good name for it, too, for at times it seesawed back and forth and
then sideways, in an awful breakneck way. The day was glorious, and the atmosphere so clear, we
could see miles and miles in every direction. But there was not one object to be seen on the vast
rolling plains—not a tree or a house, except the wretched ranch and stockade where we got fresh
horses and a perfectly uneatable dinner.
It was dark when we reached the post, so of course we could see nothing that night. General
and Mrs. Phillips gave us a most cordial welcome—just as though they had known us always. Dinner
was served soon after we arrived, and the cheerful dining room, and the table with its dainty china
and bright silver, was such a surprise—so much nicer than anything we had expected to find here,
and all so different from the terrible places we had seen since reaching the plains. General Phillips
is not a real general—only so by brevet, for gallant service during the war. I was so disappointed
when I was told this, but Faye says that he is very much afraid that I will have cause, sooner or later,
to think that the grade of captain is quite high enough. He thinks this way because, having gradu-
ated at West Point this year, he is only a second lieutenant just now, and General Phillips is his
captain and company commander.
It seems that in the Army, lieutenants are called “Mister” always, but all other officers must
be addressed by their rank. At least that is what they tell me. But in Faye’s company, the captain is
called general, and the first lieutenant is called major, and as this is most confusing, I get things
mixed sometimes. Most girls would. A soldier in uniform waited upon us at dinner, and that seemed
so funny. I wanted to watch him all the time, which distracted me, I suppose, for once I called Gen-
eral Phillips “Mister”! It so happened, too, that just that instant there was not a sound in the room,
so everyone heard the blunder. General Phillips straightened back in his chair, and his little son
gave a smothered giggle—for which he should have been sent to bed at once. But that was not
all! That soldier, who had been so dignified and stiff, put his hand over his mouth and fairly rushed
from the room so he could laugh outright. And how I longed to run some place, too—but not to
laugh, oh, no!
These soldiers are not nearly as nice as one would suppose them to be, when one sees them
dressed up in their blue uniforms with bright brass buttons. And they can make mistakes, too, for
yesterday, when I asked that same man a question, he answered, “Yes, Sorr!” Then I smiled, of
course, but he did not seem to have enough sense to see why. When I told Faye about it, he looked
vexed and said I must never laugh at an enlisted man—that it was not dignified in the wife of an
officer to do so. And then I told him that an officer should teach an enlisted man not to snicker at
his wife, and not to call her “Sorr,” which was disrespectful. I wanted to say more, but Faye sud-
denly left the room.
(continues)

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Yesterday morning, directly after guard-mounting, Faye put on his full-dress uniform—epau-
lets, beautiful scarlet sash, and sword—and went over to the office of the commanding officer to
report officially. The officer in command of the post is lieutenant colonel of the regiment, but he,
also, is a general by brevet, and one can see by his very walk that he expects this to be remem-
bered always. So it is apparent to me that the safest thing to do is to call everyone general—there
seem to be so many here. If I make a mistake, it will be on the right side, at least.

7. Who is Faye?
a. the person to whom Frances Roe is writing
b. the general’s wife
c. Frances Roe’s husband
d. a soldier whom Frances Roe gets to know at Fort Lyon

8. In general, what seems to be Frances’s attitude toward army protocol?

a. disinterested and bored
b. interested but furious
c. devoted and serious
d. curious but questioning

Use the following passage to answer questions 9 and 10.

Excerpted from the Short Story “To Build a Fire” (1908), by Jack London
Day had broken cold and grey, exceedingly cold and grey, when the man turned aside from the
main Yukon trail and climbed the high earth bank, where a dim and little traveled trail led eastward
through the fat spruce timberland. It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excus-
ing the act to himself by looking at his watch. It was nine o’clock. There was no sun nor hint of sun,
though there was not a cloud in the sky. It was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall
over the face of things, a subtle gloom that made the day dark, and that was due to the absence
of sun. This fact did not worry the man. He was used to the lack of sun. It had been days since he
had seen the sun, and he knew that a few more days must pass before that cheerful orb, due south,
would just peep above the sky line and dip immediately from view.
The man flung a look back along the way he had come. The Yukon lay a mile wide and hidden
under three feet of ice. On top of this ice were as many feet of snow. It was all pure white, rolling
in gentle undulations where the ice jams of the freeze-up had formed. North and south, as far as
his eye could see, it was unbroken white, save for a dark hair-line that curved and twisted from
around the spruce-covered island to the south, and that curved and twisted away into the north,
where it disappeared behind another spruce-covered island. This dark hair-line was the trail—the
main trail—that led south five hundred miles to the Chilcoot Pass, Dyea, and salt water; and that
led north seventy miles to Dawson, and still on to the north a thousand miles to Nulato, and finally
to St. Michael on Bering Sea, a thousand miles and half a thousand more.
(continues)

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But all this—the mysterious, far-reaching hair-line trail, the absence of sun from the sky, the
tremendous cold, and the strangeness and weirdness of it all—made no impression on the man. It
was not because he was long used to it. He was a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo, and this was
his first winter.
The trouble with him was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things
of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances. Fifty degrees below zero meant eighty-
odd degrees of frost. Such fact impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable, and that was all.
It did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature of temperature, and upon man’s frailty
in general, able only to live within certain narrow limits of heat and cold; and from there on it did
not lead him to the conjectural field of immortality and man’s place in the universe. Fifty degrees
below zero stood for a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against by the use of mit-
tens, ear flaps, warm moccasins, and thick socks. Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely
fifty degrees below zero. That there should be anything more to it than that was a thought that
never entered his head.

9. Which of the following best expresses the TIP

theme of the passage?
a. A person must have rigorous training to face
the harsh elements of nature.
b. It is extremely foolish to travel alone in
unknown terrain.
c. A person must learn to see beyond the facts
to understand the meaning of life.
d. With hard work and perseverance, a person
can triumph over any adversity.
Sometimes, the main idea is suggested but
not directly stated. Remember to ask your-
self what the topic is and what the most
important thought is about the topic. This
will help you determine the main idea of the
text.

10. Which words describe the man as he appears in Summarizing

the passage?
a. innocent, heroic Have you ever given a book report or written a
b. knowledgeable, matter-of-fact research paper? In either case, you read information
c. rebellious, observant from a text, then restated the most important ideas in
d. religious, young your own words. This is called summarizing.

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Being able to summarize information is one way Finally, the crown on the head of the statue has
to show how well you understood what you read seven rays, one for each of the seven continents.
because it requires you to focus on the main points
The statue is covered in copper, about the
and explain them. Think back to a research paper you
thickness of two pennies. Natural weathering has
have written. Chances are, you read a number of arti-
caused the copper to turn a light green color.
cles or books about your topic; however, your paper
When the statue was restored for its 100th
was probably only a few pages long. That’s because
birthday, the torch was replaced, and the new
you only included key pieces of information in your
torch was covered with a thin layer of 24 karat
summary. You chose the main idea and the most
gold. During the day, the sun’s reflection lights
important supporting details and restated these in the
the torch; at night, it is lighted by 16 floodlights.
report.
Think back about the paragraph we read about
To summarize the passage,
“Honest Abe.” What information in the text was the
most important? How could you restate that in your n determine the most important idea.
own words? n decide what information can be left out.
n restate the information using your own words.
Abraham Lincoln was known as “Honest Abe”
for many reasons. He showed honesty in his early Now, let’s summarize the passage.
work life, set an example of honesty as a lawyer
working among many dishonest colleagues, and What is the main idea of the entire passage?
encouraged others to practice honesty as well.
__________________________________________

This summary has two sentences in it. The original

What are two important supporting details?
paragraph about Lincoln was considerably longer.
Because a summary focuses on only the most impor- __________________________________________
tant information, it is generally much shorter than the
original text. In fact, you might summarize an entire __________________________________________
book in only a few sentences or paragraphs.
Read the following paragraph. Write a summary of the passage in your own words.

In the midst of New York Harbor stands a __________________________________________

305-foot tall, 225-ton symbol of freedom and
__________________________________________
democracy: the Statue of Liberty. “Lady Liberty,”
as she is affectionately known, was a gift of
__________________________________________
friendship from France and was dedicated on
October 28, 1886. Officially named “The Statue You probably recognized that the main idea is one of
of Liberty Enlightening the World,” this highly the following:
recognizable structure contains much symbolism.
For example, the torch itself is a symbol of The Statue of Liberty is an important symbol.
enlightenment. The tablet of law held in her left
hand contains Roman numerals representing the The Statue of Liberty is a huge monument that
date of our country’s independence, July 4, 1776. represents many things.

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Remember, there is not a single correct way to state the
main idea. The important thing is that you recognize
which information is the most important.
Next, figure out which supporting details are key.
The size of the Statue of Liberty is definitely interest-
ing. It could even be the central idea of another pas-
sage. However, in this example, these facts are not
some of the supporting details that must find their
way into a summary. The same is true about the date
the statue was dedicated and the fact that the copper
has turned green over the past century and a half.
These are ideas that could be left out when you sum-
marize the passage.
The most important supporting details would be
those that address the symbolism associated with the
statue. Information about the significance of the
torch, the tablet, and the crown should be included in
a thorough summary.
TIP
Don’t forget! A summary must use your own
words, not the words of the author. Restate
the ideas that you read and make sure you
are not copying what is written in the text.
Just like the main idea, there is more than one correct
way to summarize a passage. Yours may be similar to
the following summary:
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France that
symbolizes a number of ideas that are important
to our country. The torch represents
enlightenment, the tablet recognizes the date
of our country’s freedom, and the crown
acknowledges the seven continents in the world.
Remember learning that each paragraph has
its own main idea? See if you can find the main
idea in the second paragraph about “Lady
Liberty.” If you recognized the main idea as
the fact that the Statue of Liberty is coated
with a thin layer of copper, you’re exactly
right! Supporting details include information
about the thickness of the copper and the fact
that it has changed colors due to weathering.
Remember that understanding the author’s
purpose is critical to understanding the text itself. If
the author’s purpose in the previous passage was to
persuade readers that the Statue of Liberty was long
overdue for restoration, then the supporting details
the author chose would probably have focused on the
statue’s recent state in a negative way. The author
might have presented evidence that the structure rep-
resented a safety hazard due to its age, or that its
weathered copper covering was an eyesore for those
who visited it. As written, however, the passage is
clearly written to inform the reader.
Fact and Opinion
You probably learned the difference between fact and
opinion when you were younger. A fact is a true state-
ment that can be proven.
California is located on the west coast of the
United States.
This is a fact. Look at any atlas, encyclopedia, or geog-
raphy book, and you can verify, or prove, that this
statement is true.
An opinion is a statement that reflects some-
one’s personal views. Not everyone will agree with an
opinion.
California’s beaches are the most beautiful in the
whole country.
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Many people would probably agree with this state-
ment. However, this is the writer’s personal view. If
you were to talk with people sitting on the beaches in
Hawaii, North Carolina, or Florida, you’d most likely
find at least a few who disagree.
TIP
Words such as beautiful, best, worst, should,
terrible, and wonderful often indicate an
opinion. Look for clues that help you deter-
mine that a statement shares the feelings or
beliefs of the author.
Writers often use a combination of facts and opinions
to share their ideas. Being able to distinguish between
these statements can help you gain a complete under-
standing of the passage. Strong readers are able to
interpret the information in a passage and form their
own opinions.
Four inches of snow fell overnight.
Can this be proven? Absolutely. A ruler or a weather
report can be used to check how much snow fell.
Because this statement can be proven, it is a fact.
We have had too much snow this winter.
Can this be proven? We could prove that snow has
fallen, but how much is too much? Not everyone
would agree that there has been too much snow. In
fact, some people might think there has not been
enough. This statement tells how someone feels about
the snow, so it is an opinion.
Facts and opinions are both useful. They not
only help writers get their point across; they can be
useful to readers as well.
Suppose you want to buy tickets to a play and are
trying to decide which play to attend. You would need
to know facts such as where each play is being per-
80
formed, the times and dates of the shows, and the cost
of the tickets. These facts are helpful in making up
your mind. But, you’ll probably want to find some
opinions, too. You could read reviews or talk to friends
to find out which theaters offer the best seats, which
actors and actresses are the most entertaining, and
whether a particular play is completely boring.
The author’s purpose for writing a piece can
impact whether the text includes mostly facts, mostly
opinions, or a combination of both:
n If the author’s purpose is to inform, the text is
likely to contain mostly facts.
n If the author’s purpose is to entertain, a combina-
tion of facts and opinions will be included.
n If the author’s purpose is to persuade, you can
definitely expect to find opinions. However, facts
that support or promote the author’s opinion
may also be included.
TIP
As you read nonfiction passages, look for
facts that give information about the topic. If
opinions are included, be sure to recognize
them for what they are—the personal feel-
ings of the writer, not verifiable information.
As you read the following paragraph, determine
which statements are facts and which are opinions.
Ask yourself:
1. Can this statement be proven or verified?
2. Would everyone agree with this statement?
The drama club of Meadowbrook Middle School
put on a stage presentation of The Elves and the
Shoemaker earlier this month. The students
performed before a sold-out crowd for all three
performances. The highlight of the evening was a
dance by the elves during the second act. Even the
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principal was seen laughing until tears filled her
eyes. It was the first live performance the students
put on this year, although plans for a spring
musical were announced at the end of the
evening. It is sure to be a huge success!
A woodwind ensemble from the school band
provided music before the show as well as during
the intermission. This impressive group of young
musicians was enjoyed by all. The amazing talent
present in the school was obvious in everyone
involved, from the actors and actresses to the
stagehands and technical crew. Ticket sales for the
performances earned nearly $900 for the school’s
fine arts department.
Did you determine which statements from the review
of the play were facts and which were opinions?
Facts from the passage:
n The drama club of Meadowbrook Middle School
put on a stage presentation of The Elves and the
Shoemaker earlier this month.
n The students performed before a sold-out crowd
for all three performances.
n Even the principal was seen laughing until tears
filled her eyes.
n It was the first live performance the students put
on this year, although plans for a spring musical
were announced at the end of the evening.
n A woodwind ensemble from the school band pro-
vided music before the show as well as during the
intermission.
n Ticket sales for the performances earned nearly
$900 for the school’s fine arts department.
Each of these statements could be proven by checking
the school calendar, looking at the program for the
performances, or checking with the accountant for the
fine arts department. Even the statement about the
principal could be verified through a photograph or
video. She might even admit it.
Opinions from the passage:
n The highlight of the evening was a dance by the
elves during the second act.
n It is sure to be a huge success!
n This impressive group of young musicians was
enjoyed by all.
n The amazing talent present in the school was
obvious in everyone involved, from the actors and
actresses to the stagehands and technical crew.
All these are opinions because there could be people
who would not agree with the author. For example,
some audience members might have thought the
highlight of the evening was when the musicians
played, not when the elves danced. Also, amazing and
impressive are words that often indicate an opinion.
Organizational Structure
When you write, whether the text is a story, a letter, or
a research paper, you probably spend time planning
the order in which you will present your ideas. It
would not make sense to randomly write down your
thoughts without any pattern or logical order. Before
writing, you probably organize similar ideas together
or tell actions and events in the order in which they
happened. Without using some sort of organization,
not only would you have trouble getting your thoughts
across accurately, but your readers would also become
terribly confused.
Writers want their texts to make sense. The
whole point of writing is to share information and
ideas with an audience, and writers carefully consider
how to best arrange this information so that readers
are able to follow their thoughts and fully understand
the passage. The organizational structure of a pas-
sage is the way a writer arranges his or her ideas.
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Common types of organizational structures that
writers may choose include sequence, cause and effect,
compare and contrast, problem and solution, classifica-
tion, and description.
Understanding how information is presented
can help readers
n organize and understand the passage.
n anticipate what ideas might be presented next.
n think about what information to look for.
n make predictions.
n connect ideas from different parts of the text.
To recognize which organizational structure an author
has used, think about what he or she wants readers to
know. If an author wants to be sure readers under-
stand the order in which events occurred, sequence is
probably used. If he or she wants readers to know
what led up to a particular event, a cause and effect
structure is likely to be found. Recognizing and under-
standing each type of organizational structure can
make a big difference in how well you comprehend the
material.
Now, let’s talk about each type of organizational
structure in a little more detail.
Sequence
The sequence of events is the order in which the
events are discussed in a passage. When readers are
able to recognize that a text uses a sequential orga-
nizational structure, they know that details, ideas,
and events will be presented in a specific order.
Often, the sequence used is either time order or
order of importance.
Time order means that ideas and events are pre-
sented chronologically, or in the order in which they
actually happened. Often, words and phrases such as
the following indicate time order:
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n first n before
n second n after that
n next n following
n then n by the time
n last n as soon as
Writers often use time order when the correct
order is important. For example, history books are
often written in time order by beginning with the ear-
liest events and leading up to the most recent. Correct
order would also be important when readers are
expected to follow steps in a particular sequence, such
as directions, how-to articles, and recipes.
Of all days for it to happen, my alarm clock
didn’t go off this morning. As soon as I opened
my eyes and saw sunlight, I knew it would be a
race to make it to the bus on time. The first thing
I did was jump in the shower, wash my hair
quickly, then jump right back out. Next was the
dash to the closet. Shirt on, jeans zipped, shoes
tied, and down the stairs. By the time I reached
the kitchen, Mom had my peanut butter toast
wrapped in a napkin and ready to go. I ran out
the door, and before it even slammed behind me,
the bus pulled up to the curb. Yes! I made it!
The transition words in the paragraph help readers
know exactly when each action happened. On the
lines below, list the events of the paragraph in the cor-
rect order.
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
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You probably figured out that the events occurred in
this order:
1. The alarm clock did not go off.
2. The speaker opened his or her eyes.
3. The speaker showered.
4. The speaker got dressed.
5. Mom wrapped up the toast in a napkin.
6. The speaker ran out the door.
7. The bus reached the curb.
8. The door slammed.
Another sequence writers may use to organize
their writing is by order of importance. They might
choose to tell the most important idea first, followed
by ideas that decrease in importance. This is a good
way to catch the readers’ attention by beginning with
the strongest point.
Did you know that newspaper articles are
often organized in order of importance? The
most important information is usually listed at
the beginning of the article, followed by less
important information. The reason for this is
that some readers do not take the time to fin-
ish the entire article. This organizational struc-
ture ensures that those readers do not miss
the most important ideas.
Conversely, writers may begin by telling the least
important idea, then list ideas or events in increasing
order of importance, telling the most important idea
last. This leaves readers with the strongest point fresh-
est in their minds.
The Tri-City Tigers won the district soccer
championship on Friday night! The final score
was 5–2 in what was a very exciting game.
Jackson Greenwood scored three goals for the
Tigers. Coach Abbott placed each team member
in the game at some point. It was truly a victory
for all!
The fact that the Tigers won the championship is the
most important idea in the paragraph, so it is stated at
the beginning. The final score is the second most
important piece of information, so it is stated next.
Jackson scoring two goals is next in importance, fol-
lowed by the fact that all the players were involved in
the win.
If the writer had chosen to tell the events in
order of least to most importance, the paragraph
could have been organized as shown here:
All members of the Tigers soccer team got a
chance to play in Friday night’s game, thanks to
Coach Abbott. Jackson Greenwood scored three
goals for his team. The final score of the exciting
game was 5–2, giving the Tri-City Tigers the title
of district champs!
Cause and Effect
As you know, a cause is something that makes some-
thing else happen. An effect is what happens as a result
of the cause. For example, if you go to bed late, you’ll
be tired in the morning. Going to bed late is the cause;
being tired in the morning is the effect.
At times, there is a cause and effect relationship
between events in a passage. Authors may choose to
use a cause and effect organizational structure, which
focuses on such relationships, in the text. Recognizing
a cause and effect structure lets readers know that they
should be on the lookout for things that are the result
of a given event. It also helps readers understand how
events in the passage are related to one another.
Darnell studied every night for a week, so he got
an A on his science exam.
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How are these events related? Did one thing happen as
a result of the other? Yes. Studying every night caused
Darnell to do well on the test. He got an A because he
studied so much. So, studying every night is the cause;
getting an A on the exam is the effect.
Often, writers will include clues—words that
signal a cause and effect relationship. Examples of
such words are listed here:
n because n so n since
n then n due to n when
n as a result n therefore n if
Ella fixed French toast for breakfast since it was
her parents’ anniversary.
In this sentence, the clue word since indicates a cause
and effect relationship. In the sentence about Darnell,
the clue word so signaled the relationship.
Notice that either the cause or the effect can
come first. In Darnell’s example, the cause is first; in
Ella’s example, the effect is first. To determine which
event is the cause and which is the effect, ask yourself
which event is the result of the other.
Now it’s your turn. Read the following paragraph.
As you read, look for cause and effect relationships.
During the past quarter, our company had a
record number of sales. As a result, we also saw a
significant increase in profits. So, over the next
few weeks, we will be able to hire additional
employees in several departments to take on some
of the workload. Current employees will also
receive a bonus in their next paycheck as
recognition for their contribution to our
company’s continued success.
84
What signal words were included to offer clues about
the cause and effect relationships?
__________________________________________
As a result and so were used to highlight two of the
relationships. However, you probably noticed that
more than two relationships existed. Signal words are
not always included. Be sure to read carefully and
think about how the events in a passage are related,
whether signal words are included or not.
Did you recognize all the cause and effect rela-
tionships in this paragraph?
The cause:
n a record number of sales for the company
The effects:
n a significant increase in profits
n the hiring of additional employees
n a bonus for current employees
Notice that a single cause had more than one effect.
The opposite may also be true; a single effect can be
the result of several causes.
Compare and Contrast
When we compare, we tell how two or more things are
alike. When we contrast, we tell how two or more
things are different. Writers often use a compare and
contrast organizational structure to explain ideas,
events, people, or objects by describing the ways in
which they are alike or different. When readers recog-
nize a compare and contrast structure in a passage,
they look for similarities and differences between the
topics.
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Signal words often alert readers that things are There are two types of compare and contrast
alike or different in some way. organizational structures that writers often use.
Whole-to-whole comparisons completely discuss the
Similarities Differences first idea, event, or item and then completely discuss
n also n but the second. For example, if a writer were comparing
n like n yet and contrasting sports, he might completely explain
n both n only baseball, then completely describe soccer.
n alike n differ Part-to-part comparisons discuss one particu-
n similar n unlike lar aspect of each topic, then discuss another aspect,
n likewise n rather and so on. For example, a writer might discuss the
n the same as n although number of players on baseball and soccer teams, then
n at the same time n however discuss how points are scored in each game, and then
n in the same ways n different discuss the rules for each game.
n in the same manner n less than

n better than Problem and Solution

n nevertheless
n on the contrary
By comparing and contrasting, writers are able to help
readers gain a clear understanding of their ideas.
Chinchillas are small animals that are slightly
larger and rounder than squirrels. Both animals
are generally gray or brown in color. The
chinchilla often has a bushy tail similar to that of
a squirrel, although its ears are more round, like
those of a mouse.
The comparisons and contrasts in this paragraph help
describe chinchillas in a way that gives readers a clear
picture of these animals.
What signal words did you notice in the paragraph?
__________________________________________
You probably recognized that slightly larger and
rounder than, both, similar to, although, and like
pointed out similarities and differences between the
various animals.
If an author elects to use a problem and solution
organizational structure, a problem is discussed and is
then followed by one or more solutions to the prob-
lem. When readers recognize this structure, they know
that as they read, they should look for possible ways to
solve the problem.
Construction of the new auditorium at Forest
Lakes Middle School is scheduled to begin in
early April, which will interfere with the school’s
planned Spring Fling Carnival because
construction equipment will occupy a large
portion of the area normally used for the event.
The carnival committee believes it may be
possible to reschedule the carnival for the middle
of March, prior to groundbreaking on the
construction project. If that is not possible, the
committee may consider moving some of the
activities indoors, reducing the need for some of
the outside space. It has also been suggested that
an alternative location, such as the nearby Little
League fields, be used for the event.
What problem is the topic of the paragraph?

__________________________________________

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The problem is that there may not be enough space for
the school carnival after construction has begun on
the new auditorium.
What solutions are suggested?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Three possible solutions are suggested: change the
date of the carnival, move some of the activities
indoors, and change the location of the event. In a
longer passage, the problem might be introduced in
one paragraph, with each solution being discussed in
separate paragraphs.
Classification
Sometimes, writers divide information about a topic
into smaller sections that each focus on a group of
related ideas or objects. This organizational structure
is called classification, and writers use it to arrange
ideas and information into categories. Each category
contains ideas that are similar in some way.
Readers can recognize that classification has
been used if the passage talks about different kinds of
things, such as different kinds of animals, different
types of transportation, or different kinds of sports.
This structure lets readers know that ideas in each sec-
tion will be somehow related.
TIP
Sometimes, section headers will be a clue
that the organizational structure is classifica-
tion. For example, a passage about animals
might include section headers such as mam-
mals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish.
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Dear Friends,
We are pleased that you are planning a trip to
our resort! We are sure that you will find the
vacation package that best suits your needs.
Vacation packages are grouped into three
categories. You may make your selection at any
time prior to your arrival.
Room-only packages include your hotel room and
access to the resort’s three swimming pools. You
may also enjoy the exercise equipment in the gym
at no additional charge.
Bed-and-breakfast packages include your hotel
room as well as access to the pools and gym.
Breakfast in any of the resort restaurants is also
included, or you may choose to order your
morning meal from our room service menu.
All-inclusive packages include not only the
offerings of the previous packages, but also lunch
and dinner from any of the resort restaurants or
room service. Each guest may enjoy three meals
and two snacks each day, all included in the price
of the package.
We look forward to your stay and would be
happy to answer any questions. Feel free to
contact us at any time for further assistance.
Sincerely,
Resort Manager
This passage uses a classification organizational struc-
ture. What is the topic of the letter?
__________________________________________
What were the categories that the information was
divided into?
__________________________________________
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You probably recognized that the topic is the resort’s
vacation packages, and the categories the packages are
divided into include room-only, bed-and-breakfast,
and all-inclusive options.
Description
When an author chooses a description as the organi-
zational pattern for a passage, he or she will introduce
the topic, then discuss attributes and characteristics
that describe it. When readers recognize this organiza-
tional pattern, they know to anticipate finding details,
attributes, examples, and characteristics that will help
explain the topic.
For more than 200 years, the White House has
been home to the presidents of the United States
and is undoubtedly the most recognizable
residence in the country. A view of the front
reveals a two-story structure with rows of
rectangular windows, columns in the center of
the building, and our nation’s flag flying over
the roof. Indoors, the home boasts six levels,
including 132 rooms, 35 restrooms, and 28
fireplaces. For recreation, the First Family can
enjoy a tennis court, jogging track, swimming
pool, movie theater, and bowling alley, all
without leaving the comfort of their very
famous home.
In this paragraph, the topic was introduced in the first
sentence. The following sentences describe what the
White House looks like from the outside, the structure
of the inside, and the recreational features of the
building. Each of these details helps give the reader a
clear picture of the topic.
Inferences
Sometimes, writers come right out and directly state
everything they want readers to know. Other times, a
writer will make suggestions about a person, place,
event, or object without directly stating the informa-
tion. To gain a complete understanding of the passage,
readers have to read between the lines and construct
meaning about the information in the text. An educated
guess based on clues in the passage is an inference.
To make an inference, consider
n clues and hints in the passage.
n your own prior knowledge.
n observations.
n details in the text.
Making inferences is similar to drawing conclusions.
When readers make inferences, they recognize
ideas that are implied.
Elliot showed his little brother around the school,
making sure he would be able to find his locker,
classrooms, and most importantly, the cafeteria.
What information is implied in this sentence? Based
on what we read, what we already know, and what
makes logical sense, we can infer several things:
Elliot’s brother is unfamiliar with the school.
Elliot’s brother is a new student.
Elliot already attends the school.
These ideas were not directly stated. However, if we
read between the lines, we can infer that they are most
likely true.
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TIP
Keep in mind that inferences are not ran-
dom, wild guesses. They are based on infor-
mation that you have been given as well as
what you already know. Inferences are logi-
cal conclusions.
At times, you will have to make inferences to
determine different things about a passage, such as
the main idea, purpose, tone, or point of view. You
will have to pay attention to the details in the text to
infer this information.
To gain a complete understanding of the text,
readers may have to make multiple inferences by
considering information from various parts of the
text. This requires readers to think about their pur-
pose for reading, evaluate the importance of ideas
and details, then decide what information is key to
understanding what the writer wants them to know
about the passage.
For example, suppose you are reading a passage
describing how to make a birdhouse. Based on the
purpose of the text, you know that it is essential to find
the steps necessary to complete the project. If you
came across information describing why birds migrate
in the winter, you could categorize these facts as being
unimportant to the purpose of this particular passage.
If you came across information telling you to first
measure a piece of wood, you would know that this
detail is essential in understanding the text.
88
BOOST
Did you know that about 71% of people who
take the GED® test have already reached at
least grade 10? In fact, one in ten college
freshmen earn their GED® test credential
before arriving on campus!
Readers also might need to consider information from
various parts of the text to make strong predictions.
Think of each piece of information as a piece to a jig-
saw puzzle. The more pieces you have, the better
equipped you will be to predict what the finished
puzzle will look like. Consider each piece of informa-
tion as it relates to what you have already read. Then,
use this combination of ideas to infer what is likely to
happen next in the text.
Considering all the pieces of information in a
passage can also be helpful in making inferences
about the author. What authors say, as well as what
they do not say, can help readers recognize their atti-
tudes, beliefs, biases, prejudgments, and opinions
about the topic.
Four bands performed at the school’s Winter
Wonderland Formal. The ultimate hip-hop band
Sticks and Stones rocked the crowd first. Nearly
every student was on the dance floor the entire
time they played. The drumbeat of their
signature hit “Keep Movin’” undoubtedly stuck
in everyone’s heads for days. After their set, the
bands Golden Child, Harvey’s Dudes, and
Stumped also played.
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Which inference could be made about the
passage?
a. The author is the drummer in a hip-hop
band.
b. Sticks and Stones was the audience’s favorite
musical group.
c. Nearly all the students attended the Winter
Wonderland Formal.
d. The author believes Sticks and Stones was
the best band at the dance.
The author’s opinion about the bands is obvious. You
could probably read between the lines and infer that
the author really enjoyed the performance by Sticks
and Stones. Think about all the words and details he
or she included when talking about the band. Then,
think about what he or she didn’t say; the author only
quickly mentioned the other bands, without giving
any information about the bands or their perfor-
mances. Choice d is the best answer.
Connotative Meaning
Authors use words in certain ways to help them
describe characters or events and create a particular
mood or tone.
The connotative meaning of a word is its sug-
gested meaning, as opposed to the literal or exact def-
inition. For instance, if you are angry with someone
and refer to him or her as a “rat,” you are suggesting
that the person is mean or disgraceful, not an actual
rodent.
Writers use figurative language to create images
with words and express ideas in creative ways. Figura-
tive devices include metaphors and similes.
Making Comparisons
between Passages
A number of questions on the GED® Reasoning
through Language Arts test will involve comparing
two passages that contain related ideas. For example,
the text of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation
might be followed by an excerpt from a speech by
Confederate President Jefferson Davis regarding slav-
ery. In this case, the two passages provide opposing
viewpoints of a single issue. In other cases, the pas-
sages might deal with the same idea or theme but offer
differences in style, tone, or even purpose. In any case,
the most important questions to ask when comparing
two passages are:
In what ways are the two passages similar?
In what ways are the two passages different?
When two passages are paired together, you will
often encounter a question about the main idea or
theme that is common to both passages. If you can
identify the ways in which the two passages are simi-
lar, this will help you determine whether they share a
single idea or theme. When two passages are placed
together on the GED® test, you can be sure that they
are related in some way—it’s up to you to figure out
exactly how they are related.
When comparing passages, remember to look at
both the content and the form of the passages. Two
passages with dramatically different forms, such as an
e-mail and a news article, might actually contain the
same main idea but differ in structure, style, tone, or
intended audience. By contrast, two passages that are
both excerpted from persuasive essays might share
the same form, style, and intended audience, but offer
opposing arguments and evidence on a topic.
For the extended response item on the GED®
Reasoning through Language Arts test, you may be
required to write a short essay comparing two pas-
sages that contain related ideas. When writing, it is
especially important to mention the specific details in
each passage that support the main idea. You may
even want to quote small amounts of text from each
passage to support your analysis. Be careful to avoid
drawing comparisons between elements that are not
important to the main idea or theme. For example,
two passages may both be written in an informal
style, but unless that style is important to under-
standing the author’s purpose, it should not be
brought up as a key point in your response.
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Quiz
Now that you’ve had a chance to review some of the
skills needed to comprehend nonfiction, read each of
the following passages, then choose the one best
answer to each question.
Directions: Choose the one best answer to each
question.
Questions 11 through 15 refer to the following passage.
What Is Included in a Healthy Diet?
Most people recognize the importance of a
healthy lifestyle. Part of this includes
enjoying a balanced diet. Each day, people
need to eat foods from each food group to
(5) be sure they are getting the benefits offered
by each type of food.
It is recommended that people enjoy
between 6 and 11 servings of food from the
grain food group. These foods include
(10) bread, rice, pasta, and cereal. Those made
from whole grains offer the most health
benefits. Enjoying whole grain toast for
breakfast, a sandwich on a wheat pita for
lunch, and whole wheat pasta for dinner are
(15) ways to ensure that plenty of servings of
these foods have found their way onto our
plates.
We all know the benefits of eating
plenty of fruits and vegetables, but do we
(20) really get enough every day? It is
recommended that people enjoy three to five
servings of vegetables and three to four
servings of fruit every day. That may sound
like a lot, but whipping up a fruit smoothie
(25) at the beginning of the day, having veggies
and dip as a snack, and adding fresh berries
to a yogurt parfait for dessert are ways to
think outside of the box—a box of fruit
snacks, that is.
90
(30) Getting enough protein doesn’t have to
mean eating two to three burgers each day.
Did you know that beans, eggs, and nuts are
considered protein as well? Sure, a burger,
fish, chicken, or steak would be great at
(35) lunch or dinner, but including eggs at
breakfast or a handful of almonds in the
afternoon can cut down on the amount of
meat in your diet, while still guaranteeing
the protein your body needs.
(40) We all know the importance of dairy
for strong teeth and bones. But don’t feel
that you have to drown yourself in skim milk
to get your two to three servings a day.
Remember that fruit and yogurt parfait?
(45) That’s a yummy way to get a full serving of
dairy. And how about the grilled cheese
sandwich on wheat for lunch? Cheese is
another way to get some dairy into your diet.
Eating a balance of food from each
(50) group is essential to staying healthy and
feeling your best. Remember to mix it up.
Try new things and be sure to get the
servings you need each day.
11. Which statement from the passage is an
opinion?
a. Most people recognize the importance of a
healthy lifestyle.
b. Those made from whole grains offer the
most health benefits.
c. That’s a yummy way to get a full serving of
dairy.
d. Cheese is another way to get some dairy into
your diet.
12. Which organizational structure is used in the
passage?
a. sequence
b. classification
c. cause and effect
d. problem and solution
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13. What is the main idea of the passage?
a. We need to include plenty of dairy in our
diets.
b. Most foods can be grouped into five basic
types.
c. A balanced diet is an important part of a
healthy lifestyle.
d. There are creative ways to be sure we eat the
right nutrients.
14. Which detail supports the main idea of the
third paragraph?
a. A fruit smoothie can help us get enough
servings of fruit.
b. A box of fruit snacks offers an entire serving
of fresh fruit.
c. We all know the benefits of eating plenty of
fruits and vegetables.
d. We need between six and nine servings of
vegetables and fruits daily.
15. Which choice best summarizes the passage?
a. A balanced diet includes plenty of grains,
fruits and vegetables, dairy, and protein to
help us stay healthy. These foods can be
incorporated into our diets in creative ways
throughout the day.
b. Protein and dairy are important foods that
come from many sources. Meats, nuts, and
eggs offer our bodies the protein we need,
while milk, yogurt, and cheese give us dairy
for strong bones and teeth.
c. Eating the right kinds of foods is important
to staying healthy. Exercise, plenty of sleep,
and eating a balanced diet ensure that we
have enough energy every day as well as the
nutrients we need to build muscles.
d. Each day, we need 6 to 11 servings of grains,
especially whole grains. We can get these
nutrients from breads, cereals, rice, and
pasta. Including these foods at every meal
will ensure that we get enough of them.
Questions 16 through 20 refer to the following passage.
What Types of Jobs Are Available?
Currently, Fairhaven Fine Furnishings has a
job opening available in the warehouse.
Daily job requirements include unloading
trucks of furniture and accessories delivered
(5) by the manufacturers, organizing these
items in the warehouse, locating and
preparing items to fill customer orders, and
loading these items onto our company’s
trucks for delivery. This job requires
(10) employees to be able to lift at least 100
pounds, operate a forklift, and demonstrate
exceptional record-keeping abilities, as
maintaining accurate inventory is of utmost
importance. This job offers many
(15) opportunities for future advancement within
the company. Many of Fairhaven’s current
management team members began their
careers working in the warehouse. This is a
full-time position, paying $17.75 per hour.
(20) Health insurance, including vision and
dental benefits, will be available after 90 days,
assuming the employee receives an
acceptable performance evaluation at that
point.
(25) Fairhaven Fine Furnishings also has
openings available for a data entry clerk and
a receptionist. Both positions require
exceptional computer skills, and applicants
will need to demonstrate adequate abilities
(30) prior to being hired. The receptionist must
also have excellent communication and
customer service skills, as he or she will be
responsible for answering phone calls and
greeting customers as they enter our
(35) showroom. Likewise, the data entry clerk
must demonstrate strong communication
skills, as this position requires interacting
with company representatives from our
various departments as well as
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(40) representatives from each of the companies
that provide our products. However, the data
entry clerk will not be communicating
directly with Fairhaven’s customers. The
receptionist position is full-time and pays
(45) $10.50 per hour. The data entry position is
20 hours per week and pays $12.35 per hour.
Both positions include health insurance
benefits following an acceptable 90-day
performance evaluation. The company will
(50) also contribute toward vision and dental
benefits, making a greater contribution
toward these benefits for full-time employees
than those working part-time.
Applicants for any of these positions
(55) must first submit a completed resume,
including work and salary history, and a list
of three professional references. After these
documents have been reviewed by a
department manager, qualified applicants
(60) will be contacted for a telephone interview.
The final step in the hiring process will be a
personal interview with our hiring team.
16. Based on the passage, which of these statements
is a fact?
a. Fairhaven Fine Furnishings would be a great
place to work.
b. The receptionist position is better suited for
a woman than a man.
c. All the available positions offer some health
insurance benefits.
d. The phone interview is the most important
step in the hiring process.
17. What is the organizational structure of the first
paragraph?
a. sequential
b. description
c. cause and effect
d. problem and solution
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18. Which is true about the second and third
paragraphs?
a. The second paragraph uses classification to
group similar ideas.
b. The steps in the application process are
listed in a random order.
c. Signal words indicate a cause and effect
structure in the paragraphs.
d. Two job positions are compared and
contrasted in the second paragraph.
19. Which inference can best be made, based on
the information in the passage?
a. The data entry clerk is the most important
position.
b. Warehouse employees are valued very highly
within the company.
c. The company is likely to hire the first
applicant for each of the jobs.
d. The receptionist position will be the most
difficult for the company to fill.
20. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
a. Some applicants will be invited to interview
in person.
b. There are several steps involved in the hiring
process.
c. Department managers will contact qualified
applicants by phone.
d. Only the most qualified applicants will meet
with the hiring team.
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Use the following passage to answer questions 21–23.

Imani P. Jones
421 Carroll Street
Franklin, NY 10821
(512) 555-4390

May 22, 2014

Shanice Childress-Harris
Owner
Luxalot Florists, Inc.
80 River Street
Franklin, NY 10821

Dear Ms. Childress-Harris:

I am writing to register a complaint about the floral displays that were prepared and delivered by
Luxalot Florists for my son DeAndre Jones’s wedding on May 18. After consulting with your assis-
tant, Maurice Thomas, on February 13 and again on March 1, we thought that our desires were
understood and that Maurice and the rest of the team had a clear plan for the wedding’s floral
designs.
We asked for Luxalot to deliver two standing bouquets for the entrance to the chapel, one
larger standing bouquet for the altar, and 18 centerpieces for the tables at the reception. Maurice
asked us what colors we preferred, and we told him that the wedding’s color scheme was white,
yellow, and fuchsia. He suggested that a beautiful combination in these colors would be First Snow
tulips, Sunray roses, and Hot Pink ranunculus. He also wanted to add a few stems of filler flowers,
such as baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace, which I thought was a good idea to reduce the over-
all cost.
I was shocked to see a completely different combination of flowers than the one we had dis-
cussed on the day of the wedding. The bouquets consisted primarily of baby’s breath and Queen
Anne’s lace, and the other flowers were carnations, lilies, and irises. At the reception, we saw that
the centerpieces had the same combination and also learned that only 14 centerpieces had been
sent, so four tables were not adorned with flowers.
I am writing to you to request a refund of half ($2,700) of the amount I paid for the flower
displays ($5,400). I would ask for a full refund, but the flowers that did arrive were very fresh and
in the correct color scheme.
I await your prompt response to this matter.
Sincerely,

Imani P. Jones

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21. In the first sentence of the letter, the word regis- 23. Based on the letter, which is NOT a reason why
ter means the writer wants a refund?
a. a machine that calculates and holds money a. The flower displays contained too many
at a store. inexpensive flowers.
b. registrar. b. The flower displays contained the incorrect
c. formally submit. types of flowers.
d. withdraw. c. Luxalot did not send the correct number of
flower displays.
22. Based on the information in the second para- d. The flower displays were in the wrong
graph of the letter, we can infer that the defini- colors.
tion of fuchsia is
a. the color white.
b. bright pink.
c. a type of flower.
d. none of the above.

Use the following passage to answer questions 24–27.

Is Your Drowsiness Dangerous?

Despite common misconceptions, anyone—regardless of gender, weight, or fitness level—can
develop obstructive sleep apnea, a life-threatening condition characterized by episodes of com-
plete or partial airway obstruction during sleep. As many as 12 million to 18 million American adults
have untreated sleep apnea, and the experts at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine are
recommending the following steps for diagnosis and treatment to significantly improve overall
health, mood, and productivity.
First, be aware of the risk factors. Your risk of sleep apnea increases between middle and older
age and with the amount of excess body weight you carry. In general, men have a greater likelihood
of developing the disease. However, menopause is a risk factor for sleep apnea in women. Your risk
is also higher if family members have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Smoking is another sig-
nificant risk factor, as well as being a detriment to your overall health.
In addition to these more commonly known risk factors, many people don’t realize that they’re
in greater danger of developing sleep apnea if they already suffer from other common diseases.
“Seven in ten type 2 diabetics and 30% to 40% of adults with hypertension also have obstructive
sleep apnea,” says Dr. M. Safwan Badr, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “As
a result, patients with these conditions should pay close attention for potential symptoms and then
seek necessary treatment.”
(continues)

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It’s important to watch for symptoms. While the symptom most commonly associated with
sleep apnea is snoring, not everyone who snores has the disease. However, when snoring is paired
with choking, gasping, or pauses in breathing during sleep, it’s a more likely indicator of sleep
apnea. Sleep apnea symptoms also may appear during the daytime and include morning head-
aches, excessive sleepiness, trouble concentrating, memory or learning problems, and general
moodiness, irritability, or depression.
“Sleep apnea can make you wake up in the morning feeling tired, even though you believe
you’ve had a full night of sleep,” says Badr. “During the day, you may feel incredibly fatigued
because you’re actually waking up numerous times throughout the night and your body isn’t get-
ting the rest it needs.”
If you suspect that you have the risk factors and symptoms of sleep apnea, it’s important that
you are evaluated by a board-certified sleep-medicine physician right away. Left untreated, sleep
apnea may have a serious impact on your overall health, even increasing your risk of death. The
sleep-medicine physician will have the training and expertise to diagnose your condition. He or she
will conduct a thorough physical examination and sleep evaluation, asking questions like whether
symptoms began when you gained weight or stopped exercising, and whether your partner or
roommate has complained that you snore or make choking noises in your sleep. If the sleep physi-
cian determines that you are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, then you will be scheduled for a
sleep study.
Once diagnosed, the recommended treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) therapy, which provides a steady stream of air through a mask to gently keep the
patient’s airway open throughout the night, making it easier to breathe. In patients with moderate
or severe sleep apnea, it’s estimated that CPAP therapy reduces the ten-year risk of heart attack by
49% and stroke by 31%.
“Treating sleep apnea provides all the benefits of improved sleep, including increased alert-
ness during the day and improved memory and cognitive function,” says Badr. “Clinical evidence
also shows that sleep apnea treatment lowers blood pressure, thus decreasing your risk of cardio-
vascular disease, and improves nighttime glucose levels and insulin sensitivity among type 2 dia-
betics.”
—Adapted from an article published on Brandpoint.com.

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24. According to the passage, what are some of the
symptoms of sleep apnea?
a. heartburn, nausea, and upper abdominal
pain when awake
b. migraines, excessive eating, and chest pain at
night
c. choking, gasping, and pauses while
breathing during sleep
d. type 2 diabetes, menopause, and
hypertension
25. Which statement best expresses the main idea
of the passage?
a. Sleep apnea primarily affects people with
hypertension and diabetes.
b. Everyone should be aware of the risk factors
and signs of sleep apnea and get tested if
there is reason for concern.
c. As many as 12 million to 18 million
American adults are living with sleep apnea
but have not been treated.
d. Sleep apnea is a condition that can be
successfully treated with continuous positive
airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
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26. How does the author present and develop the
key ideas of this passage?
a. by listing facts and advice related to sleep
apnea
b. by presenting a chronological order of the
development of sleep apnea as a person ages
c. by describing the differences between people
who have sleep apnea and those who don’t
d. by giving examples of patients who have
been treated successfully for sleep apnea
27. Based on the passage, we can infer that the
author has which of the following viewpoints?
a. To accurately identify and treat sleep apnea,
it’s better to see a board-certified sleep-
medicine doctor than to see another type of
doctor.
b. The medical profession overdiagnoses sleep
apnea, causing increased anxiety and
irritability in patients.
c. It’s a shame that sleep apnea is so difficult to
diagnose, leaving many Americans
untreated.
d. Screening for sleep apnea must be part of a
person’s annual checkup with one’s primary-
care physician.
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Answers and Explanations
Chapter Practice
1. c. Madeline recognizes the family instinct to
own a farm, but she calls it “fatal” and men-
tions other family members’ bad experi-
ences.
2. d. There are several lines in the passage that
support this choice. The narrator says that
she was fitted by temperament . . . for farm
and country living and that her experiences
on farms as a child got in the blood. Her
father’s sister made a similar observation:
You have in you that fatal drop of Pearce
blood, clamoring for change and adventure,
and above all, for a farm. The narrator adds
that I see no reason for denying so fundamen-
tal an urge, ruin or no. It is more important to
live the life one wishes to live, and to go down
with it if necessary, quite contentedly, than to
live more profitably but less happily.
3. b. The second paragraph starts off with a refer-
ence to the Florida orange grove that the
narrator purchases. She doesn’t mention it
by name at first, but she does in the last sen-
tence. You can also assume that the Creek is
short for Cross Creek, which is the name of
the book.
4. b. In the sentence before this line, the author
says that she was troubled by the hard work
at the Creek and the difficulty of making a
living on the grove. Relief came when some-
one named Martha drew aside a curtain and
welcomed her into the group of people who
had a history with the farm. This implies
that by pulling back the curtain, Martha was
clearing up some of the writer’s confusion or
angst by sharing information about the
grove in the past.
Reading Comprehension Review
5. b. The first paragraph states that arsenic is pres-
ent in the environment as a naturally occur-
ring substance. We can infer that it is
hazardous—or hurtful—to people’s health
because it is referred to as a contaminant.
Another important reason is because offi-
cials are trying to keep apple juice safe by
making sure that arsenic levels are very low;
that implies that arsenic at higher levels
makes food unsafe.
6. c. The term parts per billion (ppb) is mentioned
in the third paragraph in the same context—
discussing the amount of arsenic found in
drinks.
7. c. There are several clues throughout the letter
that Faye is Frances’s husband, but the big-
gest one appears in the fourth paragraph:
When I told Faye about it, he looked vexed
and said I must never laugh at an enlisted
man—that it was not dignified in the wife of
an officer to do so. And then I told him that an
officer should teach an enlisted man not to
snicker at his wife, and not to call her “Sorr,”
which was disrespectful. I wanted to say more,
but Faye suddenly left the room. We can infer
that this was a private disagreement between
a husband and a wife. Faye thought that
Frances had not acted like a dignified wife,
but Frances said that Faye should have stood
up for her: I told him that an officer should
teach an enlisted man not to snicker at his
wife, and not to call her “Sorr,” which was dis-
respectful. Faye may have taken this com-
ment personally, because he suddenly left
the room.
8. d. She seems interested in the ins and outs of
army protocol—she describes details and
tries to figure out the rules of rank—but she
also questions why things are as they are.
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9. c. The writer hints at this point when he notes
that all this—the mysterious, far-reaching
hair-line trail, the absence of sun from the sky,
the tremendous cold, and the strangeness and
weirdness of it all—made no impression on
the man. The ideas presented in the last
paragraph also support this theme.
10. b. Although the writer criticizes the man for
not thinking deeply about his circumstances
and about life in general, the man does seem
knowledgeable. He knows about the path of
the sun, he knows the exact temperature,
and it’s suggested that he knows the exact
path of the trail he is on. Matter-of-fact is
also a good description for the man. There
are many reasons to think that the man
focuses on the world around him in a
straightforward way. For example, the writer
notes that He was quick and alert in the
things of life, but only in the things, and not in
the significances. The last three sentences of
the passage offer further evidence that he is
matter-of-fact.
11. c. Not everyone would agree that a certain food
is yummy, which makes this statement an
opinion. The other answer choices all include
statements that could be proven. Most people
do know that a healthy lifestyle is important,
and the information about whole grains and
cheese could be verified in a health or science
textbook.
12. b. The types of foods needed to stay healthy are
classified by similarities. Each of the food
groups discussed is a category. Information
about the types of food in each category, as
well as the number of servings needed daily,
is included in that section of the text.
13. c. The importance of a balanced diet is the
main point that the author wants readers to
understand. Including plenty of dairy is a
detail that supports the main idea. While it is
98
true that most foods can be grouped into five
basic types, this is not the main point of the
passage.
14. a. Choice d states the main idea of the third
paragraph, and choice a, the statement that
fruit smoothies are one way to get enough
servings of fruit, supports this idea. Fruit
snacks are mentioned in the passage, but
nothing is said about them actually offering a
serving of fruit. Choice c is also a statement
from the passage; however, it does not sup-
port the main idea.
15. a. Choice a restates the main idea and the most
important details from the passage. Choice b
summarizes the third and fourth paragraphs,
while choice d summarizes the second para-
graph. The information in choice c is true;
however, it includes information that was not
mentioned in the paragraph.
16. c. By reading the job descriptions, we can prove
that each position offers insurance benefits.
Because the statement can be verified, it is a
fact. Not everyone would agree with the other
three answer choices, so they are opinions.
17. b. The topic of this paragraph is the warehouse
employee position. This topic is introduced
in the beginning of the paragraph, then the
remainder of the sentences describe the posi-
tion. The requirements, hours, salary, and
benefits are all explained. The order of the
information is not important, there is not a
problem to discuss, and no events result in
the occurrence of other events.
18. d. The words both and likewise indicate ways in
which the two jobs are similar. However, on
the other hand, and greater point out differ-
ences between the two positions. The third
paragraph uses a sequential organizational
structure, listing the steps in the order in
which they will occur. First, after, and final are
clues to the structure used in this paragraph.
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19. b. Several clues help you read between the lines
in this passage. Notice that the warehouse
employee receives a much higher salary and
more benefits than the others. Also, the pas-
sage states that the warehouse job “offers
many opportunities for future advancement”
and that “many of Fairhaven’s current man-
agement team members began their careers
working in the warehouse.” Such advance-
ment is not mentioned for either of the other
available positions. These hints indicate that
warehouse employees are valued highly
within the company.
20. b. The main idea of this paragraph is implied
rather than directly stated. Readers are able to
infer this information by reading the entire
paragraph. Although it is not the main idea,
readers can also infer the idea that only the
most qualified applicants will meet with the
hiring team in person because the other steps
seem to narrow down the field to only those
best suited for the job. Choices a, c, and d are
supporting details.
21. c. The letter writer is indeed submitting her
complaint to the owner of Luxalot and writ-
ing it in a formal way. The word register has
many meanings. One of them is a machine
that calculates and holds money at a store
(cash register), but that doesn’t make sense in
this sentence. We are looking for a different
meaning of the word register. Also note that
in the sentence, register is used as a verb,
whereas a machine that calculates and holds
money at a store is a noun.
Registrar means an official record keeper (for
instance, the person at a school or college
who keeps records and helps to sign up
students for classes). Finally, the letter writer
is presenting her complaint to the owner of
Luxalot and wants the owner to take action.
She is not withdrawing, or removing, her
complaint.
22. b. The word is used in the statement that the
wedding’s color scheme was white, yellow, and
fuchsia. Then, in the next sentence, the
writer mentions the types of flowers that
would fit that combination of colors: First
Snow tulips, Sunray roses, and Hot Pink
ranunculus. We can deduce that First Snow
tulips are white flowers (because snow is
white), that Sunray roses are yellow flowers
(because the sun is yellow), and that Hot
Pink ranunculus are fuchsia-colored flowers.
Fuchsia probably means hot—or bright—
pink.
23. d. This is not a reason why the writer is dissat-
isfied. At the end of the letter, she explains,
I would ask for a full refund, but the flowers
that did arrive were . . . in the correct color
scheme. Choice a is a reason why the writer is
dissatisfied. She mentions that the original
plan was to use a few stems of filler flowers,
such as baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace,
which I thought was a good idea to reduce the
overall cost. We can assume that baby’s
breath and Queen Anne’s lace are inexpen-
sive flowers because Mrs. Jones calls them
filler flowers and because if they are used, the
cost goes down. Then, on the day of the
wedding, The bouquets consisted primarily of
baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace—not a
few stems, as had been discussed. This all
adds up to mean that the displays contained
too many inexpensive flowers. Choice b is an
incorrect choice because the writer says that
the plan was to use mainly tulips, roses, and
ranunculus. Instead, the company delivered
mainly baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace,
and the other flowers were carnations, lilies,
and irises. Choice c is an incorrect choice
because she says that she ordered 18 center-
pieces, but only 14 were delivered.
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24. c. All three of these symptoms are listed in the
article as possible signs that a person suffers
from sleep apnea. Migraines are a type of head-
ache, and the article does mention that head-
aches could be a symptom, but it specifies
morning headaches. Also, the article does not
mention excessive eating or chest pains as signs
of sleep apnea. (Sleep apnea may cause heart
attacks—which can cause a person to feel chest
pain—but that does not mean that chest pain is
a sign of sleep apnea.) Choice d is incorrect
because each of these is mentioned as a risk fac-
tor for developing sleep apnea—people who
have type 2 diabetes or hypertension or who are
going through menopause may be more likely
to develop sleep apnea, but this doesn’t mean
that these conditions are symptoms of having
sleep apnea. (If you don’t quite understand this
point, consider this everyday example: Standing
outside in the freezing rain would be a risk fac-
tor for getting a cold. The symptoms of having
indeed come down with a cold would be
coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose.)
25. b. The writer starts off by saying that anyone—
regardless of gender, weight, or fitness level—can
develop obstructive sleep apnea, which suggests
that everyone should be knowledgeable about
the condition. At different points in the article,
the author also states: First, be aware of the risk
factors; It’s important to watch for symptoms; and
If you suspect that you have the risk factors and
symptoms of sleep apnea, it’s important that you
are evaluated by a board-certified sleep-medicine
physician right away. Choice a is incorrect
because although, according to the article, a
large portion of people who have hypertension
and type 2 diabetes also have sleep apnea, that
does not mean that sleep apnea primarily
affects people with those conditions. In fact, the
first paragraph of the article stresses that anyone
can develop sleep apnea. Choices c and d are
not main ideas of the passage.
100
26. a. The author presents facts about the symp-
toms, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep apnea,
and advises readers to pay attention to risk fac-
tors and symptoms and to get tested if they
think they may have sleep apnea. Chronological
means ordered by time from start to finish, as
in a time line. The author does not discuss the
development of sleep apnea over time. The
author also does not discuss specific people
who have sleep apnea.
27. a. This choice is supported by these sentences
in the article: If you suspect that you have
the risk factors and symptoms of sleep apnea, it’s
important that you are evaluated by a board-
certified sleep-medicine physician right away. . . .
The sleep-medicine physician will have the train-
ing and expertise to diagnose your condition. He
or she will conduct a thorough physical examina-
tion. . . . The author emphasizes the skill of
board-certified sleep-medicine doctors when it
comes to sleep apnea, never mentions other
types of doctors (here or elsewhere in the arti-
cle), and encourages readers to visit a board-
certified sleep-medicine doctor if they think
they may have sleep apnea. All of this suggests
that when it comes to sleep apnea, the author
probably thinks that it is better to see a board-
certified sleep-medicine doctor than to see
another type of doctor. Choice b is incorrect
because overdiagnosis is not mentioned or
implied in the article. Instead, the author dis-
cusses sleep-medicine doctors’ ability to diag-
nose sleep apnea accurately. Choice c is
incorrect because the author does not say or
imply that sleep apnea is difficult to diagnose.
Instead, one of the big messages of the article is
that many people with sleep apnea are going
untreated simply because they’ve never asked to
be screened in the first place. The author does
not imply choice d in the article.
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REVIEW

In this chapter, you learned several strategies to help you better comprehend nonfiction reading
materials:

1. The main idea is the central message of a passage. Supporting details help to
strengthen readers’ understanding of the main idea.
2. To summarize is to restate the most important information in your own words. Be sure
to think about the main idea and the most important details when creating a summary.
3. Writers include both facts and opinions to express their ideas. Facts are provable and
can be verified; opinions tell someone’s personal thoughts or ideas, may vary from one
person to another, and cannot be verified.
4. Organizational structure refers to the way ideas are arranged in a passage. Common
structures include sequence, cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and
solution, classification, and description.
5. When sequence is used to organize a passage, ideas may be listed in time order or in
order of importance. Writers may choose to begin with either the most important or
least important idea.
6. A cause and effect structure points out how ideas or events are related. A cause is the
reason another event occurs; an effect is the result of one or more causes.
7. To compare is to show how ideas, events, or objects are similar; to contrast is to point
out ways in which the topics are different. A compare and contrast structure focuses on
these similarities and differences.
8. A problem and solution structure introduces a problem, then discusses one or more
possible ways to solve the problem.
9. When a writer uses classification as the organizational structure, he or she groups
similar ideas together in categories.
10. A description introduces a topic, then provides information and details to explain the
topic to readers.
11. To make an inference means to read between the lines and determine what the writer
is telling readers without directly stating that information.
12. At times, readers will need to make multiple inferences to fully understand a passage.
This may require putting together bits of information located throughout the text to
figure out what the writer wants readers to understand.

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 5 LANGUAGE AND
C H A P T E R

GRAMMAR:
READING SKILLS

C HAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter will help you build the foundation you need to
understand the fiction and nonfiction passages found on the
GED® Reasoning through Language Arts test. You will learn to
identify word parts, prefixes, suffixes, context clues, multiple
word meanings, the author’s point of view and purpose, and
theme. It will also teach you to make predictions and synthesize
what you read.

M any of the questions on the GED® RLA exam are designed to test your knowledge of grammar,
word usage, and language mechanics. Make sure you are prepared by carefully reviewing this
chapter and answering the practice questions. Answers and explanations for all practice questions
are at the end of the chapter.

Word Parts

To understand what a passage is about, you have to be able to determine the meanings of its words. Words are
formed from a combination of root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Root words are the foundation of words.

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Prefixes are added to the beginning of words to Emily was careful with the package.
change their meanings. Suffixes are added to the ends
of words to change their meanings. This sentence uses the same root, care, but adds the
Look at the following example: suffix -ful. This suffix means “full of,” so Emily was full
of care when she handled the package.
unexpected = un + expect + ed Following are lists of some common prefixes and
suffixes and their meanings. Knowing the meanings of
In the word unexpected, un- is the prefix, expect is the these word parts can help you figure out meanings of
root word, and -ed is the suffix. These parts work words and help you better understand what you read.
together to give the word meaning. Think about the
differences in the meanings of the following sentences: Prefixes
n co-: with n mis-: wrongly, badly
We expect her to call by 1:00 today. n de-: to take away n non-: without, not
We expected her to call by noon yesterday. n dis-: lack of, n pre-: before
The fact that she did not call was unexpected. opposite of n post-: after
n ex-: out of, previous n re-: again
Adding the suffix -ed to the end of the word changes it n extra-: outside, n sub-: lower, nearly,
to past tense. Adding the prefix un- to the beginning beyond under
tells that the event was not expected. n il-, in-, im-, ir-: not n super-: above, over
n inter-: between, n trans-: across
Mario is an honest man. among n un-: not

Let’s look at the underlined word, honest. We know

that honest means “truthful” or “trustworthy.” So, the Suffixes
sentence lets us know that Mario can be trusted. n -able, -ible: able to, n -ize: to make
can be done n -less: without
Mario is a dishonest man. n -ant: one who n -ly: in a certain way
n -en: made of n -ment: action, process
In this sentence, the prefix dis- has been added to the n -er: comparative, n -ness, -ity: state of
root word honest. This prefix means “not,” so we know one who n -or: one who
that dishonest means “not honest.” Adding the prefix n -ful: full of n -ous: full of
has changed the meaning of the sentence. Now we n -ive: likely to n -tion: act, process
know that Mario cannot be trusted.
Now, use what you know about word parts to deter-
Emily handled the package with care. mine the meaning of the underlined word in the fol-
Emily was careless with the package. lowing sentence. Write the meaning of the word on
the line underneath.
The first sentence tells that Emily was gentle with the
package. However, when the suffix -less is added to the It seemed illogical for her to drop out of the
root word care, the meaning changes. This suffix campaign.
means “without,” so careless means “without care.”
__________________________________________

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Breaking the underlined word into word parts
can help determine its meaning. The word illogical is
made up of the prefix il-, meaning “not,” and the word
logical. If something is logical, it makes sense. So, if it
is illogical, it does not make sense.
TIP
Keep in mind that groups of letters are con-
sidered a prefix or suffix only if they are
added to a root word. For example, mis- is a
prefix when added to the root word spell to
create the word misspell. However, these
letters are not a prefix in the words mistletoe
or misty.
Sometimes, thinking of a word with a similar
root can help you figure out the meaning of an unfa-
miliar word.
The captain watched the sails deflate as he
attempted to guide the boat to the dock.
Suppose you do not know the meaning of
deflate. Ask yourself, “Do I know a word that has a
similar root?” You probably already know that inflate
means to fill something with air or to make something
larger.
Dad will inflate the balloons before the party.
Using what you know about the meanings of
word parts, you can figure out that deflate means that
the air has gone out of something, or it has gotten
smaller.
Let’s try another example:
Brian carries his portable CD player everywhere
he goes.
Portable contains the root port and the suffix
-able. Port means “to move,” so portable means that the
CD player is “able to be moved.”
The company plans to export 75% of its products
overseas.
Suppose you are unsure of the meaning of
export. Do you know a word that has a similar root?
Portable and export have the same root. You know that
the prefix in export, ex-, means “out of ” and port
means “to move,” so export means “to move out.” So,
the company plans to move its products out and send
them overseas.
The island imports most of its fruit from other
countries.
If export means “to move out,” what do you think
import means? It means “to move in” or “to bring in.”
Now you try. What words could help you deter-
mine the meaning of the underlined word in the fol-
lowing sentence? Write the words on the line
underneath.
She tried to visualize the author’s description of
the animal.
__________________________________________
Vision and visible both have roots that are similar to
that of visualize. Vision is the sense of sight. If some-
thing is visible, it is able to be seen. So, to visualize
means “to see something.”
Here are a few sets of words with similar roots.
Knowing sets of words with similar roots can help you
determine word meanings. What other words could
you add to each set in the list below? What other groups
of words can you think of that have similar roots?
n adjoin, conjunction, juncture
n anniversary, annual, biannual
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n audible, audience, audio Incorrect: Try and come to work on time

n benevolent, benefit, beneficial
n chronic, chronological, synchronize
n civic, civilian, civilization
n contradict, dictate, dictionary
n describe, prescribe, transcribe
n design, signal, signature
n empathy, pathetic, sympathy
n evacuate, vacancy, vacuum
n exclaim, exclamation, proclaim
n mystify, mystery, mysterious
n pollutant, pollute, pollution
n telescope, telephone, television
n terrain, terrestrial, territory
tomorrow.
Correct: Try to come to work on time tomorrow.
Incorrect: I’ll try and buy the tickets at the box
office rather than online.
Correct: I’ll try to buy the tickets at the box office
rather than online.
This may be tested on the GED® test, so make sure you
know the difference.
Simple present tense is the verb form that com-
municates facts or indicates that something occurs on
a regular basis. For example:

The assistants commute to work on the subway,

but their boss takes a limo.
Parts of Speech
I commute to work every morning on the subway.
She speaks English.
Verbs
I am from Philadelphia.
Verbs are the heart of a sentence. They express the
Dogs bark, and cats meow.
action or state of being of the subject, telling us what
In the Caribbean, the water is aqua blue.
the subject is doing, thinking, or feeling. They also tell
Marissa runs five miles every weekend.
us when that action or state of being occurs—in the
past, present, or future—and they can communicate The simple present tense of regular verbs is formed as
more complicated ideas, for instance whether some- follows, using the verb to drive as an example:
thing happens often or whether there is a possibility
that something will happen in the future.
SINGULAR PLURAL
First person Base form Base form
Infinitive and Simple Present Tense (I/we) (drive) (drive)
An infinitive is the base form of the verb plus the Second person Base form Base form
word to, such as to go, to dream, and to eat. The infini- (you) (drive) (drive)
tive form can be used in many ways in a sentence. Third person Base form plus -s or -es Base form
(he/she/they) (drives) (drive)
Here are some examples:

Tong promises to return by noon. Present Continuous Tense

To walk was the most logical decision.
One of the most common mistakes in English
involves the infinitive. People often say try and do
something rather than the correct try to do some-
thing. For example:
Present continuous tense is the verb form that
describes what is happening now, at this exact
moment. It ends in -ing and is accompanied by one of
the following helping verbs: am, is, or are (the present
tense of the verb to be). For instance:
Adam is driving to the fair.
They are driving to the picnic.

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Gerunds We should discuss buying a new computer.

Words that end in -ing don’t always function as verbs. I quit smoking.
Sometimes they act as nouns and are called gerunds.
They can also function as adjectives. Past Tense
Simple past tense is the verb form that expresses what
Examples: happened at a specific moment in the past.

Tracy enjoys running on the beach.

It rained for three hours yesterday.
Here, running serves as a noun—it is
She opened the door and welcomed the guests.
the thing that Tracy enjoys.
Past Participle
The loading dock is outside the back door.
The past participle of a verb consists of its past form,
Here, loading serves as an adjective—it
accompanied by the helping verb have, has, or had
describes the dock.
(e.g., have cared, has forgiven, had thought, etc.). This
Here is an example of how the same word can have is true of both regular and irregular verbs.
three different functions:
Past Continuous Tense
verb: He is screaming loudly. The past continuous tense indicates that an action
happened in the past and continued for some time. It’s
gerund (noun): That screaming is driving me crazy.
used with the helping verb was or were.
adjective: The screaming boy finally stopped.

When correcting sentences on the GED® RLA test, do She was walking when the rain started.
not assume that a word that ends in -ing is a verb. You While they were singing, the phone rang.
will need to read closely to determine how the word
functions in the sentence. Here are a few guidelines for Past Perfect Tense
identifying and using gerunds: Used with the helping verb had, the past perfect tense
indicates that an action happened in the past before
1. Gerunds are often used after a preposition. another action happened in the past. This may sound
Keza thought that by taking the train she would confusing, but it’s a tense that you probably often use
save money and time. in everyday speech. Look at these examples:
Noriel was afraid of offending her host, but she
couldn’t eat dinner. Yesterday, Theresa told me that she thought
2. Gerunds frequently follow these verbs: Harry had played too much golf during their
honeymoon.
admit dislike practice
appreciate enjoy put off
avoid escape quit
can’t help finish recall
consider imagine resist
delay keep risk
deny miss suggest
discuss postpone tolerate

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Notice that the sentence places us at one point in
time—when Theresa was talking and thinking—and
it uses the past perfect to look back at an earlier point
in time, when something may have happened during
her honeymoon.
If you had really wanted to keep that job, you
would have gotten to work on time.
If someone had called to tell me that the doctor’s
office was closed, I would have stayed in bed.

Jack’s vacation was cut short when he broke his

NOTE
ankle in London, but he had had the time of his Conditional sentences in the past often
life in Paris. include the words would have.

In this sentence, we’re placed at the time when Jack’s

vacation was cut short, and we’re looking back at the
time when he enjoyed himself in Paris. Regular versus Irregular Verbs
Most English verbs are regular—they follow a stan-
Aisling’s parents had always wanted her to dard set of rules for forming the simple past tense.
become a doctor, but in college she decided to Usually, add -ed.
become an English major.
He interrupted me when I was typing.
The time that Aisling’s parents wanted her to become
a doctor happened before the time that she decided to If the verb ends with the letter e, just add -d.
become an English major.
The prisoners escaped.
Past Perfect and the Conditional
On the GED® test, you may be asked to use the past If the verb ends with the letter y, change the y to an i
perfect in another situation: conditional sentences set and add -ed.
in the past.
You probably use the conditional all the time in I carried the water pitcher to the table.
everyday life without knowing it. It follows this gen-
eral pattern: If this happens, then that happens. Look Irregular Verbs
at these examples: About 150 English verbs are irregular—they don’t fol-
low the standard rules for changing tense.
I will go inside if you tell me to. Many irregular verbs form the past tense by
If you don’t know where those cookies came from, changing the vowel to a. For example:
you shouldn’t eat them.
Present Simple Past
Now look at these examples of conditional sentences begin began
set in the past. They all include the past perfect: sing sang
spring sprang
I would have brought sunscreen if I had known it come came
was going to be so hot and sunny. overcome overcame
run ran

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Other irregular verbs are more “irregular,” such as Correct: Jon signed up to run the marathon, but
these: after talking to his doctor, he decided it
would be too strenuous.
Present Simple Past
bite bit Subject–Verb Agreement
bring brought In grammar, agreement means that verbs should agree
dig dug with their subjects. If the subject is singular, the verb
should be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb
hear heard
should be plural. Because we often use incorrect
leave left
grammar when we speak, identifying correct subject–
plead pled
verb agreement can be challenging.
send sent Read the following examples, which highlight
common agreement errors:
In English, as in many other languages, the essential
verb, to be, is highly irregular: Incorrect: The president, along with his wife
and two daughters, are going to Hawaii on
Subject Present Simple Past vacation.
I am was Correct: The president, along with his wife
you are were and two daughters, is going to Hawaii on
he, she, it is was vacation.
we are were
Although we know that four people are going on vaca-
they are were
tion—the president, his wife, and their two daugh-
ters—the sentence really has only one subject: the
Using a Consistent Tense
president. The phrase along with his wife and two
A common writing mistake is to jump between verb
daughters is just a side point; it is set off with commas
tenses when it is not necessary or correct to do so.
and is not essential to the grammar of the sentence.
You may be asked to spot this mistake on the GED®
Since the real subject, the president, is singular, the
RLA test.
verb should be singular too: is.
If a writer indicates that a certain action takes
place at a certain time, he or she should be consistent
in the use of verb tense when writing about that NOTE
action elsewhere in the sentence (or paragraph or It’s easy to read sentences such as the first
story). Review the following examples: example and think that they are correct.
That is because a plural word—in this case,
Incorrect: She left the house and forgets her keys
daughters—is the word that comes right
in the kitchen.
before the verb. The phrase two daughters
Correct: She left the house and forgot her keys in
are sounds natural, even though in this sen-
the kitchen.
tence it is not correct. Make sure to keep in
Incorrect: Jon signed up to run the marathon, but mind what the real subject of a sentence is,
after talking to his doctor, he decides it so you know what verb form is necessary.
would be too strenuous.

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Incorrect: The jury have left the courtroom to
make their decision.
Correct: The jury has left the courtroom to make
its decision.
Although jury refers to a group of people, the actual
word jury is a singular noun—it means all of the jury
members taken as a whole.
Here are examples of other nouns that may
seem plural at first but are usually treated as singular
and take a singular verb: team, family, group, band,
committee, tribe, audience, and flock.
Incorrect: That boxer don’t have a chance against
Carl.
Correct: That boxer doesn’t have a chance against
Carl.
Although the first sentence may sound correct in
casual speech, the word boxer is singular, so it should
be followed by a singular verb form. Don’t is a plural
form.
How to Get Subject–Verb
Agreement Right
Your main challenge when deciding if a sentence has
correct subject–verb agreement will probably be
determining who or what serves as the subject of the
sentence.
In most cases, this should be simple and will
come naturally to you. But as you saw in the previous
examples, sometimes the real subject is not immedi-
ately obvious.
Here is another example. Can you identify the
subject of the sentence?
Only one of the students was officially registered
for class.
In this sentence, the subject is one, not students.
Although it may seem as if the students are perform-
110
ing the action, the true subject of the sentence is the
one student—whoever that person may be—meaning
that the sentence requires the singular verb was.
Here’s another example:
Vanessa and Erin are going to join the committee.
It’s easy to see that there are two subjects in this sen-
tence: Vanessa and Erin. The verb is correctly plural:
are.
Now review these similar sentences:
Either Vanessa or Erin is going to join the
committee.
Neither Vanessa nor Erin is going to join the
committee.
In both cases, even though there are still two names—
Vanessa and Erin—the subject is singular. In the first
case, only one of them is going to join the committee
(we don’t know who, but it will be only one of them).
In the second case, neither one will; neither also
requires a singular verb.
NOTE
If one plural and one singular subject are
connected by or or nor, the verb form must
agree with the closer subject. For instance:
Neither Vanessa nor the teachers want to
join the committee.
Neither the teachers nor Vanessa wants
to join the committee.
Let’s go back to our original example:
Vanessa and Erin are going to join the committee.
There are two nouns at the start of the sentence, and it
is clear that there are two subjects: Vanessa and Erin.
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Now take a look at this example:
Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite type of
sandwich.
Although the phrase peanut butter and jelly is made
up of two nouns, we know that the term peanut but-
ter and jelly refers to one thing: a particular type of
sandwich filling. In this case, you’d treat the whole
phrase as one subject, so you would use a singular
verb form (is).
Here are other examples of subjects that may
look plural at first glance but are really singular:
Spaghetti and meatballs was my grandmother’s
favorite dish.
The New York Times is delivered to my door every
morning.
The United States has never won the Olympic gold
in that sport.
Similarly, What’s is a contraction of What is, which is
incorrect here because the subject of this sentence is
plural: side effects.
Practice
For each sentence, fill in the blank with either is or are.
1. Red Rocks ________ their favorite concert
venue in Colorado.
2. Julio, as well as the rest of the band, ________
excited about performing at Red Rocks.
3. Two members of the band ________ still back
at the hotel.
4. Everyone ________ supposed to be onstage
right now!
5. Where ________ Julio and the guitar player?

Here is one last type of sentence that often causes For the following three questions, select the best revi-
subject–verb agreement problems: sentences that start sion of the underlined part of the sentence.
with words such as There’s, Here’s, and What’s. Note
that in these sentences, the subject comes after the 6. Catherine is gone to the store later today.
verb. For example: a. go
b. will go
There’s my dog, playing by the park bench. c. went
d. has gone
The subject of the sentence is my dog.
7. Gerald and Yolanda have visited me yesterday.
Incorrect: There’s still three empty seats. a. visited
Correct: There are still three empty seats. b. are visiting
c. visits
Don’t forget that There’s is really a shorthand (or con- d. had visited
traction) of the phrase There is. Since the subject of
this sentence—seats—is plural, the sentence requires a 8. Neither you nor your cousins appearing in the
plural introduction: There are. photograph.
a. appears
Incorrect: What’s the side effects of this b. is appearing
medication? c. appear
Correct: What are the side effects of this d. to appear
medication?

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Pronouns
In order to understand the correct use of pronouns,
you must first have a clear understanding of what a
noun is. Nouns are words that identify objects.
People: students, brother, David, neighbor
Places: New York City, ocean, university, Jupiter
Things: books, Saturday, bathing suit, the U.S.
Navy
Ideas and qualities: beauty, faith, anger, justice
A pronoun is a word that replaces or refers to a noun.
Consider the following examples:
Sheldon prefers cereal to toast and jam.
This can be rewritten with a pronoun as:
He prefers cereal to toast and jam.
Last Friday, Josh drove to Kathy and Tina’s
cabin.
This can be rewritten with pronouns as:
Last Friday, he drove to their cabin.
Jackson doesn’t care about anyone except
Jackson.
This can be rewritten with pronouns as:
He doesn’t care about anyone except himself.
There are many pronouns in the English language,
depending on what type of noun the pronoun is
replacing and how the pronoun functions in a sen-
tence. Here are some examples of pronouns: I, you,
she, he, we, they, it, this, that, myself, ourselves, whoever,
whomever, mine, yours.
112
Pronouns and Antecedents
When a pronoun is used in a sentence, it should be
clear what noun(s) it is substituting for or referring to.
That noun is called an antecedent. For example:
Adam had fun while he was on vacation in Puerto
Rico.
The pronoun he is another way of saying the word
Adam. Adam is the antecedent of he.
Here is another:
My grandparents first met when they were in
college.
The plural pronoun they stands in for the plural noun
grandparents, which is the antecedent.
This may seem simple enough, but confusion
over pronouns and antecedents can arise in more
complicated sentences. You may be asked to spot or
correct this type of problem on the GED® RLA test.
Consider this incorrect sentence:
Despite what the president told the reporters, they
are not going to authorize military action.
The sentence may sound correct to the ear, but if we
give it some thought, do we really know what is meant
by the pronoun they? (To put it another way: Do we
know what the antecedent is of they?)
They is a plural pronoun, so it can’t refer to the
president, which is a singular noun. It could refer to
the reporters, which is a plural noun, but that doesn’t
make sense logically—reporters are not in charge of
the military.
Does they mean some other group of people
(members of a committee or army generals)? Or
should it be changed to he, to mean the president?
As you can see, when there is no obvious ante-
cedent to a pronoun, the meaning of an entire sen-
tence can be unclear.
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Beware of They Here is a list of subject and object pronouns. Make

Another common pronoun problem arises when the sure you know the difference:
writer is discussing a person (singular) but isn’t sure
what gender to use—she/her/her or he/him/his—so Subject Object
tries to keep things vague by using a plural pronoun I me
(they/them/their) instead. Consider this example: you you
he him
If a student is late to class three times, they will be
she her
reported to the principal.
it it
we us
The pronoun they doesn’t work here because it’s plural
but its antecedent is the singular noun student. Here is who whom
a correct way to rewrite the sentence: they them

If a student is late to class three times, he or she Who versus Whom

will be reported to the principal.
Or you could rephrase the sentence this way:
If students are late to class three times, they will be
reported to the principal.
Subject Pronouns and
Object Pronouns
When editing sentences for correct pronoun use, you
will need to determine whether the pronoun is the
subject or the object of the sentence. Consider the fol-
lowing sentence:
This brings us to one of the most common grammar
problems in the English language: using the word who
(a subjective pronoun) when the word whom (an
objective pronoun) is called for. This error could
appear on the GED® RLA test, so make sure you know
how to spot it.
Consider the following examples:
Who made dinner last night?
Who is the subject of this sentence. Whoever that mys-
terious meal-preparing person is, he or she performed
the action of the sentence (making dinner).

Jane brought Jack to the dentist. Whom should John invite to your party?

Jane is the subject of the sentence—the person who is
acting out the verb brought. Jack is the object—the
person who is receiving the action of the verb.
If we wanted to swap out the words Jane and Jack
with pronouns, we would need to use a subjective pro-
noun for Jane and an objective pronoun for Jack. Note
the correct sentence, after a couple of incorrect tries:
Incorrect: She brought he to the dentist.
Incorrect: Her brought him to the dentist.
Correct: She brought him to the dentist.
Here, John is the subject of the sentence. John is going
to perform the action of the sentence (inviting one or
more guests). Whom is the object of the sentence: it
refers to one or more persons who will receive the
action of the sentence (John’s invitation).
An easy way to test whether you should use who
or whom in a sentence is to swap it for another pro-
noun that you’re more familiar with and check to see
if that makes sense.

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Let’s try out this trick on the following sentence:
[Who/Whom] is Jake going to marry?
First, let’s try to answer the question with the word she.
It is a subjective pronoun, so it will test whether the
subjective pronoun who would work in the sentence.
[Who/Whom] is Jake going to marry? Jake is
going to marry she.
That is clearly not grammatical. Now let’s try an objec-
tive pronoun, her:
[Who/Whom] is Jake going to marry? Jake is
going to marry her.
That makes sense, so we know that we need another
objective pronoun—whom—for the question:
Whom is Jake going to marry?
Here is another example:
Incorrect: Ms. Dee is the teacher who I always ask
for advice.
Correct: Ms. Dee is the teacher whom I always ask
for advice.
When deciding whether to use who or whom, look at
the core phrase: I ask ________.
I ask her would be grammatical, not I ask she.
Therefore, in our sentence, we need to use the same
type of pronoun as her (objective). That means we
need to use whom.
Incorrect: Gordon is the man whom lives down
the street.
Correct: Gordon is the man who lives down the
street.
114
To determine who versus whom, the core phrase is:
________ lives down the street.
Let’s test it:
Him lives down the street.
He lives down the street.
The second sentence, with the subjective pronoun he,
is correct, so we should use who in our sentence.
Now take a look at these more advanced exam-
ples to prepare for the GED® RLA test.
The same rules for who and whom apply to who-
ever and whomever.
Incorrect: I’ll play chess with whoever.
Correct: I’ll play chess with whomever.
The core phrase here is: I’ll play with ________. The
missing word is an object of the preposition with, so
we need to use the objective pronoun whomever.
Let’s do that test again, just to be sure. Let’s try
the sentence with a subjective pronoun, she:
I’ll play chess with she.
That is clearly not correct. The subjective pronoun
whoever is therefore not correct. Now let’s try the
objective pronoun her:
I’ll play chess with her.
That’s a perfect fit, so the objective pronoun whomever
must be right.
Practice
For each of the following questions, fill in the blank
with who, whom, whoever, or whomever.
9. _______ are you taking to the dance?
10. _______ is making that noise had better quiet
down!
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11. That man over there is the customer _______ Read the following sentence. Then replace the under-
complained about me to my boss. lined words with the correct pronouns:

12. _______ is taking you to the dance? When Lisa and Jim’s friend Tony arrived home
from Iraq, Lisa and Jim took Tony to Tony’s
Possessive Pronouns favorite restaurant and told Tony to order
Like possessive nouns (such as Carla’s, the house’s, the whatever Tony liked.
three players’), possessive pronouns show ownership. When Lisa and Jim’s friend Tony arrived home
However, possessive pronouns do not use apostrophes. from Iraq, they took him to his favorite
restaurant and told him to order whatever
Incorrect: The purple and green balloons were he liked.
their’s.
Correct: The purple and green balloons were Lisa and Jim translates to they because Lisa and Jim
theirs. serves as a subject of the sentence (Lisa and Jim are the
Incorrect: It’s tail was long and furry. people who are performing the main action—taking
Correct: Its tail was long and furry. Tony to dinner).
Tony’s is a possessive noun, which translates to
Note that some possessive pronouns function as the possessive pronoun his.
adjectives and are used to describe a noun. For To figure out the rest of the answers—pronouns
instance: my car (my describes the noun car), her that replace the word Tony—ask yourself whether
tennis shoes (her describes the noun tennis shoes), Tony is a subject (performing an action) or an object
and your strawberries (your describes the noun (receiving an action). If he’s the subject, make it he. If
strawberries). he’s the object, make it him.
Other possessive pronouns function as nouns
themselves, for instance: Pronouns Combined with
Other Nouns
The blue car is mine. Often pronouns are combined with other subjects or
Those tennis shoes are hers. objects in a sentence. For instance, in the following
Yours are sweeter than ours. sentence, there is one subject (Ruth) and two objects
(Peter and _______):
Make sure you are familiar with the spelling of both
types of possessive pronouns: Ruth drove Peter and _______ to the football
game.
Possessive (adjective) Possessive (noun)
my mine Do you know which pronoun should fill in the blank?
your yours
his his Ruth drove Peter and me to the football game.
Ruth drove Peter and I to the football game.
her hers
its its
Although the second sentence may sound correct, it is
our ours
not. (It may sound correct to you because we hear this
whose whose type of phrasing all the time. Many people use it
their theirs

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because they think it sounds more proper or formal,
but in reality it is poor grammar.)
The first sentence is right. The word me is an
objective pronoun, which is what is needed in the
grammar of this sentence. I is a subjective pronoun,
which is incorrect here.
There’s an easy trick for finding the correct pro-
noun in situations such as this (when a pronoun is
combined with another noun and you want to know
what type of pronoun to use): Cross out the other
phrase—here, Peter and—and then see what pro-
noun you need. Here it would be:
Ruth drove me to the football game.
You would never say:
Ruth drove I to the football game.
Practice
For each of the following questions, choose the pro-
noun that fits best.
13. Joe had _______ temperature taken at the doc-
tor’s office on Tuesday.
a. its
b. his
c. him
d. none of the above
14. Someone forgot to lock up _______ shoes and
gym bag.
a. his or her
b. his or hers
c. their
d. there
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
A dangling modifier is a misplaced word or phrase. If
a word or a phrase is placed incorrectly in a sentence,
the meaning of the sentence can be misinterpreted.
How to Spot Dangling Modifiers
Incorrect: Running for the bus, my backpack fell
in the street.
This suggests that the subject of the sentence—my
backpack—was running for the bus, which we know is
not correct!
The phrase Running for the bus is a dangling
modifier because it describes the action of the person
speaking, but that person is not mentioned in the
sentence.
Here is the sentence written correctly:
Correct: As I was running for the bus, my back-
pack fell in the street.
When editing sentences for dangling modifiers, pay
attention to words that end in -ing and appear at the
beginning of the sentence. This can signal a sentence
that has a dangling modifier. For example:
Incorrect: Searching the entire house, the key was
under the table.
This sentence says that the key searched the entire
house, which doesn’t make sense.
Correct: After searching the entire house, he found
the key under the table.

15. The closet is so dark! I can’t tell which coat is

_______ and which is _______.
a. your, my
b. yours, mine
c. our, their
d. our, they’re

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NOTE
Most dangling modifiers occur at the begin-
nings of sentences, but they can appear at
Practice
the ends of sentences, too.
For each of the following sentences, select the best
revision.
How to Spot Misplaced Modifiers
Now let’s look at a similar type of error: misplaced
modifiers. These are phrases or clauses that appear in
the wrong spot in a sentence, so it seems as if they
describe one thing when they really are intended to
describe something else.
For example:
Incorrect: Ten minutes later, a sad-looking man
in a dirty suit with yellow teeth entered the
room.
Correct: Ten minutes later, a sad-looking man
who wore a dirty suit and had yellow teeth
entered the room.
The suit didn’t have yellow teeth—the man did.
Incorrect: She gave homemade treats to the kids
wrapped in tinfoil.
Correct: She gave the kids homemade treats
wrapped in tinfoil.
The kids weren’t wrapped in tinfoil—the treats were.
Only, Just, Barely, and Nearly
The words only, just, barely, nearly, and almost should
appear right before the noun or verb being modified.
Their placement determines the message of the sen-
tence.
Only Peter ran to the store. (No one else but Peter
went.)
Peter only ran to the store. (He didn’t walk.)
Peter ran only to the store. (He didn’t go any-
where else.)
Peter ran to the only store. (There was no other
store around but that one.)
Peter ran to the store only. (He ran to the store
and did nothing else.)
16. Moving to Nevada, Shira’s truck broke down.
a. While Shira was moving to Nevada, her
truck broke down.
b. Shira’s truck, moving to Nevada, broke
down.
c. Shira’s truck broke down while moving to
Nevada.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
17. Exhausted after a long day at the office, Tom
only used the treadmill for ten minutes before
heading home from the gym.
a. After Tom’s exhausting day at the office, he
only used the treadmill for ten minutes
before heading home from the gym.
b. Exhausted after a long day at the office, Tom
headed home from the gym after only using
the treadmill for ten minutes.
c. Exhausted after a long day at the office, Tom
used the treadmill for only ten minutes
before heading home from the gym.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
18. Historians have wondered whether General
Thomas Herald was really a woman in disguise
for more than 200 years.
a. For more than 200 years, historians have
wondered whether General Thomas Herald
was really a woman in disguise.
b. Historians have wondered, Was General
Thomas Herald really a woman in disguise
for more than 200 years?
c. Historians have wondered whether General
Thomas Herald, in disguise, was really a
woman for more than 200 years.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
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Context Clues
Even great readers will come across unfamiliar words
in a text at times. One way to figure out the meanings
of these words is to use context clues. These are hints
that are included in the sentence or passage that help
readers understand the meanings of words.
Authors often use synonyms, or words with
similar meanings, to help readers understand unfamil-
iar terms.
Beginning this semester, students will have
an abbreviated, or shortened, day every
Wednesday.
In this sentence, the author included the synonym
shortened to explain what he or she means by abbrevi-
ated. This context clue helps readers determine the
meaning of a word that might be unfamiliar.
An author might also include antonyms, or
words with opposite meanings, to clarify the defini-
tion of a word.
Please be advised that both residents and visitors
are expected to park their cars on the west side
of the apartment building.
This sentence talks about residents and visitors. So, we
can conclude that residents are different than visitors.
Because you probably know that visitors are people
who do not live in the building, we can figure out that
residents are people who do live there.
Definitions or explanations are often used as
context clues.
The reluctant child was not eager to share his
project with the class.
In this sentence, the author explained the meaning of
reluctant by saying that the child was not eager.
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Examples are another type of context clue that
can be used to determine the meaning of unknown
words.
Ms. Greene pointed out pictures of several monu-
ments in the students’ history books, including
the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial,
and the Liberty Bell.
This sentence includes three examples of monuments:
the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial, and the
Liberty Bell. From these examples, we can figure out
that a monument must be a famous place or structure
that has a special importance.
TIP
When looking for context clues, be sure to
check sentences surrounding the unfamiliar
word. These clues might be contained in the
sentences before or after the sentence that
includes the word in question, or they may
even be in another part of the paragraph.
As you read the following sentences, look for
context clues that could help you determine the mean-
ings of the underlined words. Then, answer the ques-
tions that follow.
We climbed all day before reaching the apex,
or top, of the mountain. We hadn’t eaten
anything in several hours and were all
famished. I was so extremely hungry that I
couldn’t wait for lunch. As we ate our picnic,
we talked about many topics, some frivolous,
others serious. After an hour of eating,
relaxing, and enjoying the gorgeous view, we
began our hike back down the trail.
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1. What is the meaning of apex?
__________________________________________
2. What clues helped you determine the meaning?
__________________________________________
The synonym top probably helped you figure out
that apex means the top, or the highest point, of the
mountain.
3. What is the meaning of famished?
__________________________________________
4. What clues helped you determine the meaning?
__________________________________________
The sentence explains that the hikers hadn’t
eaten anything in several hours. The following sen-
tence includes the definition “extremely hungry.”
These context clues probably helped you figure out
that famished means “extremely hungry” or “starving.”
Notice that some of the clues were in the sentence fol-
lowing the underlined word. Also, notice that clues
were found in more than one place. Be sure to look
throughout the entire paragraph for clues that can
help you determine meaning.
5. What is the meaning of frivolous?
__________________________________________
6. What clues helped you determine the meaning?
__________________________________________
The paragraph states that some of the topics the
hikers discussed were frivolous and others were serious.
This use of an antonym tells us that something that is
frivolous is not serious.
Multiple Meaning Words
Many words have more than one meaning. As we read,
it is important to know which meaning the author
intends to use. Consider the use of the word stoop in
the following sentences:
Li sat on the front stoop, waiting for her neighbor
to come home.
David had to stoop to fit into the tiny door of his
little brother’s clubhouse.
The other candidate is constantly telling lies, but
I would never stoop so low.
In the first sentence, stoop means “a small porch.” In
the second sentence, stoop means “to bend forward.”
In the third sentence, stoop means “to do something
unethical.”
So, if words have more than one meaning, how
are you supposed to figure out which is correct? You’ll
have to use context clues. Think about which defini-
tion makes sense in that particular sentence.
Read the following sentence.
The detective said the intruders left without a
trace.
Which is the meaning of trace in this sentence?
a. a tiny amount
b. a remaining sign
c. a type of drawing
d. to find something
In the sentence, the detective could not find any
remaining sign that the intruders had been there.
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Although each of the answer choices is a definition of
trace, only choice b makes sense in the context of the
sentence.
Frequently Confused
Words and Homonyms
Quick—what’s the difference between it’s and its?
Know and no? To and too?
Like many words in the English language, these
words often confuse people because they sound the
same but have very different meanings. Other fre-
quently confused words have the same spelling but
different meanings. All of these are called homonyms.
To help avoid confusion on the GED® test—and
in everyday life—familiarize yourself with the follow-
ing homonyms and other words (such as affect and
effect) that people often mix up.
Words to Remember
affect/effect
Here are the two definitions of affect and effect that
people often confuse:
to affect (verb): to influence
Eric’s childhood in rural Arkansas affected
how he viewed the world.
effect (noun): the result of influence
Eric’s childhood in rural Arkansas had an
effect on how he viewed the world.
Both words also have other meanings, which you
should try not to confuse:
to effect (verb): to cause something to happen,
accomplish
Over time, the union’s efforts effected
change at the factory.
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to affect (verb): to pretend or make a display of
The designer sometimes affected a British
accent when he went to parties, which
was ridiculous because he had been
born and raised in New Jersey.
affect (noun): a feeling or emotion, or the way
that a feeling or emotion is expressed
physically
He had a calm, cool affect, which was dis-
turbing because his son had just gone
missing.
its/it’s
its: belonging to a certain animal or thing
The dog wants its bone.
it’s: the contraction of it is
It’s too hot to go outside.
lie/lay
lie: to make an untrue statement (verb); an
untrue statement (noun)
Never lie on a job application, because if
the lie is detected, you probably won’t
get hired.
lie, lay: the present and past tenses of the verb to
lie, meaning to recline or rest in a horizon-
tal position
Every Sunday afternoon, I lie on the couch
and watch movies.
Last Sunday afternoon, I lay on the couch
and watched movies.
lay, laid: the present and past tenses of the verb
to lay, meaning to put something down
You can lay the baby down in Sarah’s old
crib.
He laid the baby down in Sarah’s old crib.
know/no; knew/new
know: to be well informed, to recognize
I know a lot about growing tomatoes.
no: zero, none
I have no idea how to grow tomatoes.
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knew: past tense of the verb to know
I knew how to grow tomatoes when I was
younger.
new: appearing or made for the first time
I will need to buy new tomatoes.
through/threw
through: a preposition meaning into one side
and out the other
Don’t worry—I know you will make it
through this difficult period.
threw: past tense of the verb to throw
He threw out his house keys by mistake!
NOTE
You may see the word thru in everyday life
(for instance, at a fast-food restaurant’s
“drive-thru”), but it’s an informal spelling
that is usually not appropriate in school or
work settings. You should also avoid using it
on the GED® test!
then/than
then: after something has happened, next
First I will do my laundry, and then I will
wash the kitchen floor.
than: a word used when comparing two things
I would rather go to Florida this winter
than stay in Wisconsin.
Practice
Select the word that best fits each sentence.
19. Jill, go rest while I ______ out the silver and get
the table ready for the party.
a. lie
b. lay
20. Mira ______ the congregation in song at the
memorial service yesterday.
a. lead
b. led
21. I plan to pick up my paycheck this afternoon
and ______ cash it at the bank on the corner.
a. than
b. then
22. It’s a shame that Tim and Jean and ______ chil-
dren won’t be at the reunion on Saturday.
a. their
b. there
Literary Devices
Metaphors
Before we explain what it is, look at this example of a
metaphor:
Janie was the heart of the organization: all ideas
came from her and circulated back to her for her
feedback.
Here the heart is a metaphor—Janie was not literally a
human heart, but she acted as a heart at the organiza-
tion. All ideas flowed through her, just as blood is
pumped out from and flows back to the heart in the
human body.
A metaphor is a word or phrase for one thing
that the writer uses to refer to another thing, showing
that they are similar.
Here is another example:
His smile is a ray of sunshine that makes people
feel happy, no matter how down they are.
Of course, the smile is not literally made of sunshine.
The writer is using the metaphor a ray of sunshine to
express the positive effect of the person’s smile on the
people around him.
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Similes
Similes are similar to metaphors, but they use the
word like or as. For example:
His smile is like a ray of sunshine.
My puppy Waldo is as sweet as a teddy bear.
Running errands for my boss is as much fun as
going to the dentist.
Here’s a fourth example, which comes from a very
descriptive paragraph in the short story “A Rose for
Emily,” by William Faulkner:
Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked
like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of
dough as they moved from one face to another
while the visitors stated their errand.
A Closer Look at
Figurative Language
In some passages, the use of figurative language can be
much more complicated than in the sentences in the
preceding section, but if you break it down, you’ll see
the hidden meaning.
John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address used
figurative language to discuss sophisticated ideas with
the audience. In the second paragraph, reprinted here,
you can see several examples.
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EXCERPT
We dare not forget today that we are the
heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go
forth from this time and place, to friend and
foe alike, that the torch has been passed to
a new generation of Americans—born in this
century, tempered by war, disciplined by a
hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient
heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit
the slow undoing of those human rights to
which this nation has always been commit-
ted, and to which we are committed today at
home and around the world.
Let’s look at the first sentence:
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of
that first revolution.
By using the word heirs, President Kennedy commu-
nicates a deep sense of obligation to the American
public listening to him. Hearing that word makes an
audience think of family history and connection.
Now, let’s look at the second sentence:
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to
friend and foe alike, that the torch has been
passed to a new generation of Americans—born
in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a
hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heri-
tage—and unwilling to witness or permit the
slow undoing of those human rights to which this
nation has always been committed, and to which
we are committed today at home and around the
world.
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In this (very long) sentence, the image of a flame in
the torch suggests the power and intensity of Kenne-
dy’s call to action. The metaphor gains even more
intensity and atmosphere from the image of an Olym-
pic marathon—the torch has been passed—in which
a runner literally passes a lighted torch to the next
runner in the relay team.
Before you take the GED® test, practice your
grammar skills by building sentences and reviewing
how the parts fit together. Engage in active reading, ask
yourself questions, and review the language mechanics
present in the passages you read. The more you review
the information presented in this section, the more
successful you will be on the GED® RLA test.
Language and Grammar Review
For questions 23–27, select the correct version of the
underlined sentence or portion of a sentence in the pas-
sage.
Millennials Take New Approach to Work-Life
Balance
—Adapted from an article published on
Brandpoint.com
23. More and more, Millennials are on the road for
work. In an average month, one in four busi-
ness-traveling Millennials travels overnight for
work at least once per week. As the line between
“personal” and “business” grows thinner and
thinner for this generation, Millennials are
increasingly finding adventure thru business.
a. Millennials are increasingly finding
adventure threw business.
b. Millennials are increasingly finding
adventure through business.
c. Millennials are increasingly found to have
adventure through business.
d. This is correct as is.
24. More than any other group, Millennial business
travelers are likely to add on extra days to their
work-related trips for leisure travel (84%),
according to the Hilton Garden Inn Discovery
and Connection Survey.
As the economy improves business travel
across the nation is on the rise. According to
the Global Business Travel Association, U.S.
business travel is expected to grow 5.1% in
2013.
a. As the economy improves, business travel
across the nation is on the rise.
b. As the economy improves business travel,
the nation is on the rise.
c. As the economy improves, business travel
across the nation rose.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
25. As more Millennials hit the road for work, they
are keeping top of mind a few simple business
travel perks to fulfill their appetite for personal
adventure and discovery:
Fly for free. Those flying for business can
earn airline miles in they’re name. These busi-
ness miles quickly add up, allowing travelers to
upgrade seats or add another destination with-
out accruing additional cost. Business travelers
can then use these miles to bring a friend or
loved one on the trip with them—quickly tran-
sitioning from business to family vacation or
romantic getaway once the weekend hits.
a. Those flying for business can earn airline
miles in there name.
b. Those flying for business can earn airline
miles in your name.
c. Those flying for business can earn airline
miles in their name.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
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26. Earn hotel perks. Frequent stays in hotels offer-
ing rewards programs can grant business travel-
ers benefits such as free overnight stays late
checkout and complimentary breakfast. These
extras turn a business trip into much more,
especially when additional nights are used to
extend a business trip into a vacation.
a. benefits such as free overnight stays, late
checkout and complimentary breakfast.
b. benefits such as free overnight stays, late
checkout, and complimentary breakfast.
c. benefits such as free, overnight stays, late
checkout, and complimentary, breakfast.
d. This is correct as is.
27. Millennials continue to be at the forefront of
achieving work-life balance by using business
travel to discover new cities, taste authentic cui-
sines, explore different cultures, and connecting
with new people across the globe.
a. by using business travel to discover new
cities, taste authentic cuisines, explore
different cultures, and connect with new
people across the globe.
b. by using business travel to discover new
cities, taste authentic cuisines, explore
different cultures, while connecting with
new people across the globe.
c. by using business travel to discovering new
cities, tasting authentic cuisines, exploring
different cultures, and connecting with new
people across the globe.
d. This is correct as is.
124
28. Choose the sentence that contains correct capi-
talization.
a. She and i are really hoping the Brooklyn
Nets do well this year.
b. She and I are really hoping the Brooklyn
Nets do well this Year.
c. She and I are really hoping the Brooklyn
nets do well this year.
d. She and I are really hoping the Brooklyn
Nets do well this year.
29. Select the answer choice that contains correct
punctuation.
a. “I married him because I thought he was a
gentleman. I thought he knew something
about breeding, but he wasn’t fit to lick my
shoe.” Says Catherine, a character in The
Great Gatsby.
b. “I married him because I thought he was a
gentleman,” Catherine, a character in The
Great Gatsby, says, “I thought he knew
something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit
to lick my shoe.”
c. “I married him because I thought he was a
gentleman,” Catherine, a character in The
Great Gatsby, says. “I thought he knew
something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit
to lick my shoe.”
d. None of the above is correct.
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For questions 30 and 31, select the word that best com- Answers and Explanations
pletes the sentence.
Chapter Practice
30. Melissa’s friend asked _______ for a ride home. 1. b. Jill, go lie down while I lay out the silver and
a. they get the table ready for the party.
b. hers 2. b. Mira led the congregation in song at the
c. she memorial service yesterday.
d. none of the above 3. b. I plan to pick up my paycheck this afternoon
and then cash it at the bank on the corner.
31. To _______ are you speaking? 4. a. It’s a shame that Tim and Jean and their chil-
a. who dren won’t be at the reunion on Saturday.
b. whom 5. Red Rocks is their favorite concert venue in
c. when Colorado. By itself, the word rocks is plural, of
d. none of the above course, but Red Rocks is a proper noun—it’s the
name of one specific place in Colorado. Since
Red Rocks is a singular noun, we need to use is.
6. Julio, as well as the rest of the band, is excited
about performing at Red Rocks. The subject of
this sentence is Julio, not Julio, as well as the rest
of the band. Why? The phrase the rest of the band
is set off with commas as a side point. Since the
subject of the sentence, Julio, is a singular
noun—one person—we need to use is (the sin-
gular form of the verb to be).
7. a. Visited is the simple past tense form of the
verb to visit, which makes sense in this sentence
because we know this happened yesterday, not
last week or right now.
8. c. When a singular subject and a plural subject
are connected by nor, the verb must agree with
the closer subject—in this case, the plural cous-
ins. This choice, appear, is the correct verb form
for a plural subject.
9. Whom are you taking to the dance? Here, the
mystery person will be taken to a dance—an
action will be performed on him or her. There-
fore the mystery person is an object, and we
need to use a pronoun that works with objects:
whom.

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10. Whoever is making that noise had better quiet
down! When deciding whether to use who/who-
ever or whom/whomever, you need to ask if the
person in question is the subject of the sentence
(performing the action) or the object (receiving
the action). Here, the mystery person being
yelled at is the subject of the sentence—he or
she is making the noise—so we need to use
whoever, a pronoun for subjects. If the person
were the object, we’d need to use whomever, a
pronoun for objects.
11. That man over there is the customer who com-
plained about me to my boss. In the second part
of the sentence, the customer performed the
action—complained—so he or she is the sub-
ject. We need to use who, a pronoun for sub-
jects.
12. Who is taking you to the dance? The mystery
person here is performing the action—taking
you to the dance. Therefore, he or she is the
subject. We need to use a pronoun that works
with subjects: who.
13. b. We need a possessive pronoun that fits with
Joe—a singular male noun. That is his.
14. a. We don’t know the gender of the person
who forgot to lock up the shoes and gym bag,
but we know it is one person (someone is singu-
lar). As a result, we need to use his or her (sin-
gular possessive pronouns).
15. b. These possessive pronouns are used cor-
rectly and make sense in this sentence.
16. a. Moving to Nevada is a dangling modifier. We
all know that it was Shira who moved to
Nevada—the truck didn’t move to Nevada. But
based on the structure of this sentence, moving
to Nevada modifies Shira’s truck. The revision in
this choice corrects that problem.
126
17. c. In the original sentence, the word only is in
the wrong spot, and this choice moves it to
where it belongs, right before ten minutes.
What’s wrong with the original sentence? The
word only modifies the wrong thing; the sen-
tence says that Tom only used the treadmill at
the gym. We know that this is not correct, of
course. Tom surely did many things at the gym:
he must have opened the front door, walked
over to the machines, and selected a treadmill;
maybe he changed into his gym clothes, drank
some water, and said hello to a friend, too.
18. a. The problem with the original sentence is
that the phrase for more than 200 years modifies
the wrong thing—it suggests that the general
may have been in disguise for 200 years. This
doesn’t make any sense—people don’t live for
200 years! This choice correctly places for more
than 200 years right before historians have won-
dered—it’s the wondering that’s been happen-
ing for 200 years.
19. Two members of the band are still back at the
hotel. What is the subject of this sentence—Two
members or the band? It is two members. As a
result, we need to use the verb are.
20. Everyone is supposed to be onstage right now!
The word everyone may refer to a lot of people,
but the word itself is singular. Therefore we
need to use is.
21. Where are Julio and the guitar player? There are
two subjects in this sentence: Julio and the gui-
tar player. Therefore we need to use are (the
plural form of the verb to be).
22. b. Because the sentence includes the phrase
later today, we know that we need a future verb
form. The sentence should read: Catherine will
go to the store later today.
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Language and Grammar Review 28. d. The pronoun I and the proper noun Brook-
23. b. This sentence correctly changes thru to lyn Nets are both correctly capitalized.
through, which is the proper spelling. 29. c. This is correct punctuation and organization
24. a. It is hard to tell because the underlined sen- of a quote.
tence is not punctuated properly, but there 30. d. This sentence calls for an object pronoun,
are really two clauses here. The first clause explaining whom Melissa’s friend asked for a
(As the economy improves) is a dependent ride. None of the choices are appropriate
clause, so it should be joined with a comma pronouns.
to the independent clause that follows (busi- 31. b. Let’s rewrite this sentence: You are speaking
ness travel across the nation is on the rise). to ________. The speaker (you) is the sub-
25. c. The word they’re should be changed to the ject—he or she is performing the action of
possessive pronoun their. They’re is a con- the sentence (talking to someone). What we
traction meaning they are. need here is an object pronoun, for the per-
26. b. This sentence includes a list of three things: son being spoken to. Whom is an object pro-
(1) free overnight stays, (2) late checkout, and noun and makes sense in this sentence.
(3) complimentary breakfast. In a series, there
should be commas (or semicolons, in special
situations) after every item except for the
last one. This revision follows that rule.
27. a. The problem with the sentence in the pas-
sage is that it contains a series that is not
parallel. There is a list of four items, and the
first three items are worded in a similar way
(discover . . . , taste . . . , explore . . .), but the
fourth item is different (connecting . . .). This
revision corrects the problem. It changes the
fourth item, connecting with new people, to
connect with new people, which matches the
verb form in the other items. The phrase
connect with new people also fits grammati-
cally with the first part of the sentence. The
phrase connecting with new people didn’t
work. Why? Remove the first three items of
the series to see what we were really saying
with connecting. The sentence would read:
Millennials continue to be at the forefront of
achieving work-life balance by using business
travel to . . . connecting with new people across
the globe, but this doesn’t make any sense.

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REVIEW
In this chapter, you have learned two strategies to help you better comprehend reading materials:

1. Breaking unfamiliar words into word parts, such as prefixes, suffixes, and root words,
can be helpful in determining a word’s meaning. Thinking of words with similar roots
can also help readers figure out the meaning of unknown words.
2. Context clues such as synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and examples can be helpful
in figuring out the meanings of unknown words. These clues may be in the same sen-
tence as the unfamiliar word or in the surrounding sentences and paragraph.

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 6 LANGUAGE
C H A P T E R

AND GRAMMAR:
GRAMMAR SKILLS

C HAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter covers GED® test writing tips and strategies that
will help you be successful on exam day. You’ll learn to recog-
nize and correct errors in sentence structure, usage, mechanics,
and organization, as well as identify the purpose of various parts
of an essay.

A s you’ve seen in previous chapters, the GED® Reasoning through Language Arts exam tests both
reading and writing skills. Don’t let that get you worried—the good news is that preparing for one
part helps you to prepare for the other. And of course, the more you practice, the better your score
will likely be.

GED ® Test Strategies

In this chapter, we focus on basic grammar and writing skills. The topics covered include:

n sentence structure
n usage
n mechanics
n organization

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In addition, we also go over some GED® test tips
and strategies. Together with the information pro-
vided in previous chapters, these proven tools for
exam success will help you prepare for and excel on
test day.
Sentence Construction
Sentence construction refers to the way sentences are
created: how we join together subjects, verbs, objects,
and other elements to express a complete thought.
Complete Sentences
You can’t just string words together to create a sen-
tence. To form a complete sentence, you need to have
three basic elements:
1. A subject: This is who or what the sentence is
about.
2. A predicate: This states what the subject is or
does.
3. The sentence must express a complete thought.
Look at this example:
The phone is ringing.
This is a short but complete sentence. Why? It satis-
fies the three requirements:
1. It has a subject: the phone.
2. It has a predicate: is ringing. It explains what
the subject is doing.
3. It expresses a complete thought. We know what
happened and what was involved.
Now look at these examples:
Sit down.
Don’t run.
Give me a break.
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Are they complete sentences? Yes. These are very
short, complete sentences that command, or tell,
someone to do something. You can see that each has a
predicate, but where is the subject? When it comes to
commands, grammar experts think of the subject as
being built into the command—the subject is the
person being spoken to. What’s important to remem-
ber is that commands can stand on their own as real
sentences.
If a string of words doesn’t have a subject or a
predicate, it is a sentence fragment. Sentence frag-
ments cannot stand on their own.
Practice
Identify the subject and the predicate of the following
sentences.
1. The woman in the lobby is waiting for Mr.
Williams.
Subject: ______________________
Predicate: ____________________
2. Mr. Williams went downstairs.
Subject: ______________________
Predicate: ____________________
Independent and Dependent Clauses
One of the building blocks of writing is the clause: a
string of words that includes a subject and a predi-
cate. Some clauses express a complete thought and
can stand on their own as sentences. These are called
independent clauses.
Other clauses, however, express an incomplete
thought and cannot stand on their own. These are
called dependent clauses. They need to be attached
to an independent clause in order to fully make sense.
Here are some examples of both types:
Independent clause: It started snowing.
Dependent clause: After Emily won the contest.
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Notice that the first clause expresses a complete idea
(it began to snow) and that it is a grammatically cor-
rect sentence on its own.
But the dependent clause is incomplete—it’s
begging for a resolution. (After Emily won the contest,
what happened?) As is, this clause is not a sentence; it’s
a sentence fragment. To create a grammatically correct
sentence in this case, you can do two things:
seven coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but,
or, yet, and so. You can use the acronym FANBOYS to
remember them.
Here’s an example of how they’re used:
Independent clause: It’s going to rain this
afternoon.
Independent clause: I still want to go to the game.

n Simply remove the word after: We can use the coordinating conjunction but (plus a
Emily won the contest. comma) to join them together:
n Attach the dependent clause to an independent
clause using a comma: It’s going to rain this afternoon, but I still want to
go to the game.
After Emily won the she jumped up and down in
contest, excitement. Subordinating Conjunctions
dependent clause independent clause Another way to connect clauses is to use a subordi-
nating conjunction—words such as after, because,
Here’s another example: and unless.
As an example, let’s join together these two
Dependent clause: That you should avoid eating independent clauses:
in order to lose weight.
Independent clause: No one takes out the garbage.
As is, it’s not a real sentence. To create a real sentence Independent clause: It smells horrible in the
in this case, you can: garage.

n Remove the word that: Depending on which conjunction we choose, we’ll

You should avoid eating in order to lose weight. communicate additional information about the situ-
n Attach the dependent clause to an independent ation in the garage. For example:
clause; for instance:
It smells horrible in the garage because no one
that you should avoid takes out the garbage.
Potato chips and eating in order to
cookies are two foods lose weight. By using because, we’re making the point that the
independent clause dependent clause odor is caused by the fact that no one takes out the
garbage. If we choose a different conjunction, we’ll
Coordinating Conjunctions describe a different scenario and make a different
You probably use coordinating conjunctions all the point. For instance:
time without realizing that they have a name; they are
words that are used to connect independent clauses Even though it smells horrible in the garage, no
together to create one longer sentence. There are one takes out the garbage.

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Here’s another example of two independent clauses
and ways to connect them:
Independent clause: Jonathan quit.
Independent clause: I had to work overtime.
I had to work overtime after Jonathan quit.
Because Jonathan quit, I had to work overtime.
You may have noticed that when you add a subordi-
nating conjunction to an independent clause, you
create a dependent clause. For example, in the exam-
ple just given, Jonathan quit is an independent clause.
Even though it’s just two words, it can function as a
real sentence all by itself. But if you add a subordinat-
ing conjunction, it no longer can stand on its own as
a real sentence. For example, Because Jonathan quit is
not a complete thought. It prompts the reader to ask,
Because what?

Here’s a list of common subordinating conjunctions:

SUBORDINATING
CONJUNCTION USE EXAMPLE
because to show cause • We are attending class because we want to pass our GED® test.
since and effect or • Since I no longer work at Cost Club, I can’t receive an employee
so that purpose discount.
in order that • I lived next to Beekman Junior College so that I could walk to school
every day.
before to show time or • Before I lived in Mason City, I lived in Des Moines.
after time sequence • I break out in hives whenever I eat strawberries.
while • I can handle the stress at work as long as I exercise daily.
when
whenever
until
once
as soon as
as long as
though to show contrast • Peter passed the test even though he was very nervous.
although • Wendy loves to read books for school, although she gets distracted
even though easily.
whereas • Jake was horrible at keeping a budget, whereas Bob always had his
money in order.
if to show a • If you study hard and come to class, you will succeed.
unless condition • You cannot take the exam unless you have proper identification.
whether
as though to show • She looked as though she had seen a ghost.
as if similarity • As much as I want to visit my daughter, I don’t think I’ll be able to until
as much as next year.
where to show place • The children want to know where their parents used to live.
wherever

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Practice
Read the two clauses, and then choose which sentence
does NOT combine them correctly.
3. Independent clause: I moved to Paris.
Independent clause: I learned how to speak
French.
a. I moved to Paris, so I learned how to speak
French.
b. After I moved to Paris, I learned how to
speak French.
c. I learned how to speak French after I moved
to Paris.
d. I moved to Paris, wherever I learned how to
speak French.
Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when one independent
clause runs right into another independent clause
without proper punctuation. Sometimes no punctua-
tion is used at all, while other times there is just a
comma between the two thoughts.
Here are some examples of run-on sentences:
Terri wants to leave now, she’s tired.
Whether or not you believe me it’s true I did not
lie to you.
There are several ways to correct this type of error.
You can:
n Add a period, a question mark, or an exclamation
point to create separate sentences.
n Add a conjunction (and a comma, if needed) to
join the clauses together.
n Add a semicolon, colon, or dash to join the clauses
together.
n Rewrite one or more of the clauses.
Here are a few ways to correct the earlier examples:
Terri wants to leave now—she’s tired.
Terri wants to leave now because she’s tired.
Whether or not you believe me, it’s true. I did not
lie to you!
Whether or not you believe me, it’s true; I did not
lie to you.
Whether or not you believe me, it’s true—I did
not lie to you.
Practice
Select the revision that is NOT a good way to correct
the run-on sentence.
4. Greenville is in the middle of nowhere, it’s a
really boring place to grow up.
a. Greenville is in the middle of nowhere. It’s a
really boring place to grow up.
b. Greenville is a really boring place to grow
up; in the middle of nowhere.
c. Greenville is a really boring place to grow up
because it’s in the middle of nowhere.
d. Greenville is a really boring place to grow
up—it’s in the middle of nowhere.
Complex Sentences
As you learned before, many sentences contain both a
dependent clause and an independent clause (they’re
joined together by the subordinating conjunction
that’s built into the dependent clause). This type of
sentence is called a complex sentence. A complex
sentence can begin with either the independent clause
or the dependent clause. Comma placement depends
on how the sentence is constructed.
While you were sleeping / , / the thunderstorm
came through the city.
Dependent clause / comma / independent
clause
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The thunderstorm came through the city / while
you were sleeping.
Independent clause / no comma / dependent
clause
Because the city received so much snow / , / school
will be canceled today.
Dependent clause / comma / independent
clause
School will be canceled today / because the city
received so much snow.
Independent clause / no comma / dependent
clause
Did you notice a pattern with the commas? When the
dependent clause is tacked onto the beginning of the
independent clause, a comma is needed between the
two clauses. When the dependent clause is tacked
onto the end of the independent clause, no comma is
needed.
You can use this rule when correcting sentences
on the GED® test. Be careful to understand what is
being said in the sentence you are correcting, how-
ever; sometimes the meaning of the sentence or other
grammar rules will affect whether you should use a
comma.
Which of the following sentences is NOT cor-
rectly punctuated?
a. Even though I ate a huge dinner, I still want
to try your macaroni and cheese.
b. I know it will be really delicious because the
chef used so much cheese and cream.
c. Please don’t finish it, before I get to try a
spoonful.
d. If you don’t want me to have any, just tell
me.
Choice c is not correctly punctuated. Here, the sen-
tence starts off with an independent clause. There
should not be a comma.
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Parallel Construction
Before we explain this idea, look at the following
example:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
brown rice, grilled chicken, salad, and treat him-
self to nonfat ice cream for dessert.
Did you notice a problem with this sentence? The
problem is that the elements are not all parallel.
Parallelism is a grammar rule that says that similar
elements in a sentence should be written in a simi-
lar way.
Here, the similar elements are the four things
that Jim WOULD eat when he was dieting. Let’s look
at them:
1. brown rice
2. grilled chicken
3. salad
4. treat himself to nonfat ice cream for dessert
You may have noticed that the first three items are
parallel—they’re all nouns—but the fourth item is
different—it’s a long phrase that starts off with a
verb (treat).
There’s another problem, too. Look at the words
that introduce those four items:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat
just . . .
Each of the items needs to make sense after that
introduction. To test this, just plug in each of the
items after the introduction.
For example, the first item makes sense:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
brown rice.
The second item is grammatical, too:
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When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
grilled chicken.
The third item is also grammatical:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
salad.
But the fourth item doesn’t make sense after the
introduction:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
treat himself to nonfat ice cream for dessert.
There are many ways to fix the original sentence, but
here is the most obvious way:
When Jim was dieting, he would usually eat just
brown rice, grilled chicken, salad, and nonfat ice
cream for dessert.
We deleted treat himself to. Now all four items are
parallel—they’re all nouns.
Practice
5. Select the best revision of this sentence:
After Tina got her GED, she had to decide
whether she was going to apply to
colleges, look for a better job, or staying
in her current job.
a. After Tina got her GED, she had to decide
whether she was going to apply to colleges,
looking for a better job, or staying in her
current job.
b. After Tina got her GED, she had to decide
whether she was going to apply to colleges,
look for a better job, or in her current job.
c. After Tina got her GED, she had to decide
whether she was going to apply to colleges,
look for a better job, or stay in her current
job.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
6. Identify the subject of the following sentence:
They intend to buy the company this year.
a. company
b. this year
c. They
d. intend
7. Identify the dependent clause in the following
sentence:
If you think it is a good team, go see the
Heat.
a. If you think it is a good team
b. go see the Heat
c. a good team
d. This sentence has no dependent clause.
8. Identify which of the following is a sentence
fragment:
a. I went.
b. Who wrote this?
c. Not going to happen today.
d. Go away.
9. Select the best revision of the following run-on
sentence:
I’m going away on business, could you
please watch the house, I’ll be gone this
weekend and I’d be most grateful.
a. I’m going away on business this weekend.
Could you please watch the house? I’d be
most grateful.
b. I’m going away on business, could you please
watch the house? I’ll be gone this weekend,
and I’d be most grateful.
c. I’m going away on business. Could you
please watch the house. I’ll be gone this
weekend. I’d be most grateful.
d. Could you please watch the house this
weekend? I’m going away on business, I’d be
most grateful.
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10. Select the sentence that is NOT correctly
punctuated.
a. Since I started my new job last year, my life
has changed dramatically.
b. As long as I’ve been working, I’ve never
really enjoyed what I was doing until now.
c. It’s less about the pay than it is about the
people—I get along great with my
coworkers.
d. I’m going to try to keep this job, until I’m
old and gray.
Capitalization
After you read certain passages on the GED® test,
you’ll be asked to fix grammar errors contained in
some of the sentences. One of the things you may
need to correct is capitalization, so it’s important that
you learn the rules of when to use capital letters and
when to use lowercase letters.
You probably already know that the first letter
of the first word of every sentence must be capitalized
and that the pronoun I should always be a capital let-
ter, but there are many other times when you should
use uppercase letters, too.
Titles and Names
Titles such as Ms., Mrs., Miss, Mr., and Dr. are always
capitalized.
Many other words in the English language—
nouns such as mayor, judge, princess, and chairper-
son—can serve as a title when placed in front of a
person’s name. When they are used this way, these
words should be capitalized. For example:
Secretary of State John Kerry
President Barack Obama
Aunt Jane
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Uncle Tim
Queen Elizabeth
Prince Harry
Pope Francis
Judge Judy
Ambassador Jackson
General Jack Kurutz
Private Benjamin
These words do double duty in the English language.
As you can see in the list, they can serve as titles when
placed in front of a person’s name. But they also often
serve as plain old nouns. On the GED® test, don’t
automatically capitalize words like president, general,
or king when you see them. In many cases, they are
simply being used as common nouns and should be
lowercase. Look at these examples:
Used as a title: President Barack Obama
Used as a noun: The president of the United
States is Barack Obama.
Used as a title: General Jack Kurutz
Used as a noun: Jack Kurutz was a heroic gen-
eral in World War II.
Used as a noun and as a title: My favorite aunt
is Aunt Jane.
Proper Nouns
A proper noun is a specific person, place, or thing.
The names of these people, places, and things should
always be capitalized.
Here are some examples of proper nouns and
how they should be capitalized:
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People Places Things/Events/Etc.

Eleanor Roosevelt United States of America Philadelphia Eagles
Lady Gaga China United Airlines
John F. Kennedy Los Angeles Crest
George Bush Sr. North Fourth Street Oscar Mayer
Uncle Tim Central Park ESPN
Mayor Ed Koch Union Station NASA
Queen Elizabeth Eiffel Tower Saturn
Woodside Hospital Battle of Bunker Hill
St. Patrick’s Day
Fourth of July
Car and Driver (the magazine)
Modern Family (the TV show)
In the Name of the Father (the movie)
“Livin’ on a Prayer” (the song)

You may have noticed that some of the words in these Geographical Words
names—such as the and of—are not capitalized, As with other proper names, the names of countries,
although we stated earlier that proper nouns should states, cities, regions, and the like—and the words
always be capitalized. Why is this? that are based on them—should be capitalized. For
The rules of capitalization are very detailed— example:
and sometimes the experts differ on what they should
be—but in general, in proper names the following Asia, Asian
words should be lowercase unless they are the first Portugal, Portuguese
word of the name. France, French, Frenchwoman, Frenchman
Great Britain, British
n the, a, an (articles) Middle East, Middle Eastern
n to, from, on, in, of, with, and other prepositions the South, Southern (referring to those states in
(some experts capitalize prepositions that have the United States)
four or more letters) Antarctica
n and, but, or, yet (conjunctions) Rome, Roman
New York City, New Yorker
Remember that when these words start off the proper Morris County
noun, they are capitalized, not lowercase. For example:
In Touch (the magazine), A Beautiful Mind (the movie),
For Whom the Bell Tolls (the book).

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Movies, Books, Songs, and So On
The names of books, movies, plays, TV shows, songs,
albums, and the like are another type of proper noun
and should be capitalized. The same goes for newspa-
per headlines, the titles of magazine articles, the titles
of essays you write, and more. For example:
Romeo and Juliet (play)
Back to the Future (movie)
The Big Bang Theory (TV show)
The Wind in the Willows (book)
“Mayor Vows: City Will Bounce Back from Hur-
ricane Sandy” (newspaper headline)
“Why Violence Is Never the Answer” (magazine
article)
Events and Time Periods
As with other proper nouns, specific historical peri-
ods and events should be capitalized. Centuries
should not be capitalized when used as a regular
noun in a sentence, though. Look at these examples:
the Revolutionary War
the Great Depression
the Middle Ages
The twentieth century marked a turning point
in technology.
Directions
Directions on the compass (west, south, northeast,
etc.) are considered to be common nouns and are not
capitalized.
Directions also sometimes serve as proper names
of specific places, however. When used in this way, they
should be capitalized, as all proper nouns should be.
For example:
The Grand Canyon is one of the biggest tourist
attractions in the Southwest.
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Here, Southwest means a specific region of the United
States—the southwest corner of the country that
includes Arizona and New Mexico.
The school is five miles southwest of Santa Fe.
Here, southwest means the compass direction, so it
should be lowercase.
Calendar Items
The days of the week, the months of the year, and
holidays all need to be capitalized. (Do not capitalize
the seasons unless they are used in a proper name, in
a title, or in another way that would require a noun to
have an uppercase letter.) Examples:
Monday
January
Easter
Fourth of July
summer, fall, winter, spring
Note this example:
The club’s Tenth Annual Winter Showcase will be
held in January.
In this case, Winter is capitalized because it is part of a
proper name—the name of a specific event—not
because it’s a season. The name of the event could
just as easily be Tenth Annual Talent Showcase.
Proper Nouns versus Common Nouns
Here is one more important thing to think about
with proper nouns: You’ll often find them blended
with common nouns—for example, Crest toothpaste
or Oscar Mayer hot dogs.
Notice that toothpaste and hot dogs are lower-
case. Why?
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The word Crest is a proper noun—it’s a brand Correct: The chef told his assistant, “When you
name—but toothpaste is a regular old noun. It should learn how to bake wedding cakes, you will
stay lowercase. Similarly, Oscar Mayer is a brand get a raise.”
name, but hot dogs is a common noun, so it should be
lowercase. Incorrect: When I asked what her costume was,
What if you encounter an example like United Erica replied, “a scary clown.”
Airlines? Should Airlines be capitalized? Well, this Correct: When I asked what her costume was,
depends on whether or not it is part of the official Erica replied, “A scary clown.”
name of the company. In this case, it is—United Air-
lines is the full, proper name of the business, so Air- While A scary clown is not a complete sentence, it is a
lines should be capitalized. complete quote, and it is introduced by the phrase
Just remember: if you know (or can figure out Erica replied. Therefore, the first word of the quote
from the passage you’re reading) that a word is part should be capitalized.
of a proper name, it should be capitalized. If it is just
a common noun, it should be lowercase.
Now look at these examples of proper nouns
NOTE
blended with common nouns. Note which words are When a quoted sentence is split in two in a
capitalized (the proper noun) and which are lower- sentence, do not capitalize the first word of
case (the common noun): the second part, unless there is another rea-
son to do so.
The Supreme Court justice gave a speech at the
school.
I have a coupon for a free McDonald’s hamburger.
To explain this point, let’s go back to one of the previ-
The NASA space shuttle will blast off on Sunday.
ous examples:
Capitalization in Quotations
The chef told his assistant, “When you learn how
When a direct quote is included in a sentence and it’s
to bake wedding cakes, you will get a raise.”
paired with a phrase like she said, they shouted, he
replied, or I wrote to explain who is doing the talking
The sentence can be reworked by splitting the quote
(or the shouting, replying, or writing), the first word
in two:
of the quotation should be capitalized.
Here are some examples:
“When you learn how to bake wedding cakes,” the
chef told his assistant, “you will get a raise.”
Incorrect: After dessert, he said quietly, “this was
the worst meal of my life.”
Note that you should still be lowercase. This is because
Correct: After dessert, he said quietly, “This was
it is a word that is a continuation of a quoted sen-
the worst meal of my life.”
tence (“When you learn how to bake wedding cakes,
you will get a raise”); it is not the first word of the
Incorrect: The chef told his assistant, “when you
quoted sentence.
learn how to bake wedding cakes, you will
get a raise.”

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Here are two more correct examples that make
the same point:
“When you go on the boat,” Carlos told us, “do
not feed the sharks.”
Carlos told us, “Do not feed the sharks.”
Now look at this final example, to avoid confusion on
the GED® test:
“Mia is on her way,” Mike said. “She just arrived
at the bus station.”
Why should She be capitalized? Because this is not a
case of a quoted sentence being split up. Instead, there
are two complete, separate sentences.
Note that the first sentence ends in a period.
“Mia is on her way,” Mike said.
and
“She just arrived at the bus station.”
She should be capitalized because it’s the first word of
a sentence, even though that sentence happens to be a
quote.
Using Apostrophes
to Create Possessive
Nouns and Contractions
In English, apostrophes are an important tool that
can help you create possessive words (the dog’s
house, Aunt Jane’s car) as well as contractions
(they’re, it’s). This lesson explains how and when to
use apostrophes.
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Possessive Nouns
A possessive noun shows the ownership that the
noun has over something else. To make a noun pos-
sessive, add the following to the end of the word:
n For most singular nouns: Add an apostrophe
and the letter s.
n For most plural nouns: Add just an apostrophe.
Look at these examples:
Anthony’s office
the child’s blanket
the two brothers’ toys
the ladies’ room
the dog’s bones [one dog has bones]
the dogs’ bones [two or more dogs have bones]
NOTE
Some plural nouns do not end in s, such as
children, women, mice, and deer. In these
cases, add an apostrophe and an s:
the children’s books
the mice’s cheese
When you are editing a sentence that contains a pos-
sessive noun, you will need to decide if it is singular
or plural. The best way to do this is to read the entire
sentence for clues.
A Mistake to Avoid
Here are some examples of a basic grammar mistake
that many people make and that may be tested on the
GED® test:
Incorrect: The boy’s are building a treehouse.
Incorrect: I just adopted two puppy’s.
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What’s the problem with these sentences? In each, the (for instance, the boys’ treehouse, the puppies’ adoption),
writer tried to make a plural word by using an apos- not when you simply make nouns plural (the boys have
trophe and the letter s. Look at the correct versions: a treehouse, the puppies were adopted).

Correct: The boys are building a treehouse. Contractions

Correct: I just adopted two puppies. A contraction refers to the process of joining together
two words to create one shorter word. An apostrophe
There is no need for an apostrophe when a noun is plu- replaces the letter(s) removed in the process.
ral. Use apostrophes when you make nouns possessive The following is a list of common contractions:

aren’t = are not let’s = let us weren’t = were not

can’t = cannot mightn’t = might not what’ll = what will; what shall

couldn’t = could not mustn’t = must not what’re = what are

didn’t = did not shan’t = shall not what’s = what is; what has

doesn’t = does not she’d = she had; she would what’ve = what have

don’t = do not she’ll = she will; she shall where’s = where is; where has

hadn’t = had not she’s = she is; she has who’d = who had; who would

hasn’t = has not shouldn’t = should not who’ll = who will; who shall

haven’t = have not that’s = that is; that has who’s = who is; who has

he’d = he had; he would there’s = there is; there has who’ve = who have

he’ll = he will; he shall they’d = they had; they would won’t = will not

he’s = he is; he has they’ll = they will; they shall wouldn’t = would not

I’d = I had; I would they’re = they are you’d = you had; you would

I’ll = I will; I shall they’ve = they have you’ll = you will; you shall

I’m = I am we’d = we had; we would you’re = you are

I’ve = I have we’re = we are you’ve = you have

isn’t = is not we’ve = we have

For practice, replace the underlined words with the
correct contractions.
Do not forget that we are right around the cor-
ner if you cannot find the keys.
Answer: Don’t forget that we’re right around the
corner if you can’t find the keys.
The contraction of do not is don’t, the contraction of
we are is we’re (NOT were!), and the contraction of
cannot is can’t.
Contractions versus
Possessive Pronouns
In English, there are a few contractions that are pro-
nounced the same as a few possessive pronouns, and
many people mistake these words. You may see ques-
tions on the GED® test that assess whether you know
the difference.

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Here’s an example:
Correct: The dog hurt its paw.
Incorrect: The dog hurt it’s paw.
The second sentence is incorrect because it’s is a
contraction of it is. That means that the sentence
really says The dog hurts it is paw, which does not
make any sense.
Here are some words that people commonly
confuse:
Contraction Possessive Pronoun
it’s (it is) its
you’re (you are) your
they’re (they are) their
who’s (who is) whose
REMEMBER
Contractions always use apostrophes. Pos-
sessive pronouns never use apostrophes.
An easy way to remember this is to think about what
a contraction really is: in casual speech, we sometimes
slide two words together, making one word. (You are
becomes you’re; would not becomes wouldn’t; and so
on.) In the process of sliding the words together, we
drop out one or two of the letters. The apostrophe
replaces the letter(s) that dropped out. (When we
contract you are to make you’re, we drop the a. The
apostrophe replaces that a.)
Practice
11. Select the grammatically correct sentence.
a. We’re going to stay at my familys house.
b. We’re going to stay at my family’s house.
c. We’re going to stay at my families house.
d. Were going to stay at my family’s house.
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12. Select the grammatically correct sentence.
a. Toms sister wasn’t planning to come to his
childrens’ graduation.
b. Tom’s sister wasnt planning to come to his
childrens’ graduation.
c. Tom’s sister wasn’t planning to come to his
children’s graduation.
d. none of the above
13. Select the grammatically correct sentence.
a. You’re not going to fix that cars problems
without the proper tools.
b. Your not going to fix that cars problem’s
without the proper tools.
c. You’re not going to fix that cars’ problems
without the proper tools.
d. none of the above
Sentence Punctuation
Proper punctuation marks are necessary when writ-
ing complete and correct sentences.
End Marks
A complete sentence must end with correct punctua-
tion. The punctuation at the end of the sentence
depends on what type of sentence it is.
1. A statement ends with a period.
Minnesota is known for its cold winters.
2. A question ends with a question mark.
Do you think it will snow tonight?
3. An exclamation—that is, a sentence with strong
emotion—ends with an exclamation point.
Call the police!
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Commas
Commas are used to indicate breaks in different parts
of a sentence. People are often confused about when
to use a comma—it is common to place too many
commas in a sentence. The following list outlines
comma rules for standard English:
1. Use commas to separate three or more items in
a series that includes the word and or or.
I lost my wallet, my gloves, and my car keys
all on one day.
Add ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard to
the sandwich.
Bring the paperwork, three forms of ID,
and a photo to the office.
Note that the comma is placed before and or
or, not after it.
Do not use a comma when only two items are
joined by and or or. That is not a series, so it
doesn’t need a comma.
Incorrect: Bring the paperwork, and three forms
of ID to the office.
Correct: Bring the paperwork and three forms of
ID to the office.
2. Use a comma after an introductory phrase. An
introductory phrase can be a prepositional
phrase that begins a sentence.
In the end, Jamie was glad she had worked
all weekend painting her room.
After hearing the weather report, the boss
moved the company picnic indoors.
3. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunc-
tion that joins two independent clauses. An
independent clause contains a subject and a
verb and would function as a grammatically
correct sentence if it stood alone. Examples of
coordinating conjunctions that join indepen-
dent clauses are and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet.
I wanted to go to the movies, but I didn’t
have enough money to pay for the ticket.
William completed the computer training,
so he decided to apply for a new job.
4. Use commas to separate an appositive from the
rest of the sentence if it is a nonrestrictive
appositive that gives information about some-
thing mentioned in the sentence but it is not
essential to the core meaning or grammar of
the sentence. Do not use commas with restric-
tive appositives (e.g., the poet Robert Burns).
Renita, the tall girl down the hall, will pick
up my mail while I am on vacation.
The office will be closed on Friday, the last
day of the month.
5. Use a comma when a dependent clause comes
before the independent clause.
After I complete my degree, I plan to move
to Los Angeles.
If you are sick, you must contact your
supervisor.
6. Use a comma to separate the year in a date.
March 14, 2008, is my daughter’s birthday.
7. Use commas to separate a state name from a
city name (or a country name from a city
name, etc.).
Kansas City, Kansas, is my birthplace.
I’d love to visit my friends in Alberta,
Canada, next year.
The flight began in Beijing, China, stopped
in Osaka, Japan, and arrived 12 hours later
in San Francisco, California.
Practice
14. Select the best revision of the sentence below:
Larry my friend from high school lives next
door.
a. Larry, my friend from high school lives next
door.
b. Larry, my friend from high school lives, next
door.
c. Larry, my friend from high school, lives next
door.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
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Semicolons and Colons
A semicolon (;) can be used to join two independent
clauses. Joining two independent clauses this way
suggests that the two clauses are related in meaning
and of equal importance.
Every Friday we go out for dinner and see a movie;
it is our reward for a long week at work.
There are several instances when a colon (:) can be
used in a sentence.
1. Use a colon after an independent clause to
introduce a list.
Travis requested his favorite meal for his
birthday: pizza, cheese bread, and ice
cream.
2. Use a colon after an independent clause to
introduce a quotation.
Emily explained her reason for leaving the
magazine: “It’s a dead-end job, no matter
how hard I work.”
3. Use a colon between two independent clauses
when you want to emphasize the second clause.
The result of the poll was clear: Obama
would probably win the election.
Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are used around direct quotes—
that is, the words a person or character says. For
example:
Uncle John said, “It has been years since I have
seen my sister’s children.”
“I refuse to pay for this meal,” Laura shouted,
“because there is a bug in my salad!”
Put punctuation marks before the first quotation
mark and inside of the final quotation mark.
Quotation marks are also used around the
names of poems, song titles, short stories, magazine
144
or newspaper articles, essays, speeches, chapter titles,
and other short works. (Titles of movies, books, TV
series, etc. are usually set in italics.)
Her daughter would not stop singing “Row, Row,
Row Your Boat” as they drove to the lake.
My favorite poem is “Wild Geese,” by Mary
Oliver.
Practice
Select the best revision of the following sentences.
15. Do you think Ted remembered his book, pen,
and paper?
a. Do you think Ted remembered his: book,
pen, and paper?
b. Do you think Ted remembered his book, pen
and paper?
c. Do you think Ted remembered his book;
pen; and paper?
d. The sentence is correct as is.
16. He was born in February 1994 at the main hos-
pital in Duluth Minnesota.
a. He was born in February 1994 at the main
hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.
b. He was born in February, 1994, at the main
hospital in Duluth Minnesota.
c. He was born in February, 1994 at the main
hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.
d. The sentence is correct as is.
17. My mother said, “I like vacationing in three
states: Texas New Mexico and Arizona.”
a. My mother said, “I like vacationing in three
states, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
b. My mother said, I like vacationing in three
states: Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
c. My mother said, “I like vacationing in three
states: Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.”
d. The sentence is correct as is.
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Sentence Structure
Active and Passive Voice
Active and passive voice refers to the way you write
about the subject and verb. If the subject is known and
is doing the action, it’s an active voice. If the subject is
unknown or is not doing the action, it’s a passive voice.
This concept is much easier to understand with
an example. Look at the following sentence:
Barry hit the ball.
Barry is the subject and he’s the one doing the
action. That means the sentence is written in an active
voice. What if we write the following:
The ball was hit by Barry.
Now the ball is the subject, but it’s not doing
anything; something is being done to it. The subject is
no longer active, so the sentence is written in a passive
voice.
Generally speaking, you should use the active
voice, rather than the passive voice, when you write.
The GED® test will likely include some questions that
test your ability to identify the passive voice and to
change it to an active voice.
Usage
Throughout the history of the English language, peo-
ple have developed conventional ways of speaking that
enable them to understand each other. These conven-
tions are referred to as usage. On the GED® test, usage
questions commonly test the following concepts:
n verb conjugation
n verb tense
n subject–verb agreement
Subject–Verb Agreement
As previously mentioned, a subject and verb are said to
agree when they are either both plural or both singular.
Usually, to make a noun plural you add an -s, and to
make a verb plural you take an -s away. For example:
The dog growls.
or
The dogs growl.
On the GED® test, you’re likely to see questions
that will test common errors in subject–verb agree-
ment. Here are a few common mistakes to watch
out for:
n doesn’t/don’t. Incorrect: He don’t want to go.
Correct: He doesn’t want to go.
n wasn’t/weren’t. Incorrect: The pens wasn’t in the
drawer when I looked. Correct: The pens weren’t in
the drawer when I looked.
n there’s/there are. Incorrect: There’s a lot of people
here. Correct: There are a lot of people here.
n here’s/here are. Incorrect: Here’s the instructions.
Correct: Here are the instructions.
Mechanics
In reference to writing, the term mechanics refers to
the little things that make your writing look like it
should: capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.
Using correct mechanics may not change the sub-
stance of your writing; that is, a word may mean the
same thing whether it’s capitalized or not. Correct
mechanics will change how your writing is perceived.
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Organization more organized way to write the paragraph would be

as follows:
Organization refers to placing sentences and para-
graphs in order so that the reader can best understand The coach told the quarterback to go long, but
what you’re trying to say in your writing. An orga- instead he handed the ball off to the running
nized paragraph typically includes one topic sentence, back at the 48 yard line. Then the running
placed either at the beginning or at the end of the back ran the ball all the way to the end zone.
paragraph, and a few supporting sentences. An orga- At last our team got a touchdown!
nized essay includes an introduction with a strong
thesis statement, two or more body paragraphs, and a Telling what happens first, next, and last—in
conclusion. that order—helps the reader keep track of what you’re
There are several common ways of organizing writing about.
supporting sentences and paragraphs in an essay.
Three of the most common are: TRANSITION WORDS
Transition words help readers know the direc-
1. chronological order
tion you’re going in your writing. Common
2. order of importance
transition words for chronological order
3. cause and effect
include: first, to begin, next, then, afterward,
last, and finally.
Chronological Order
Chronological order is the order in which things hap-
pen in time; in other words, what happens first, next,
Order of Importance
and last. If you were telling a story, giving instructions,
To organize your writing based on order of impor-
or relating an event in your essay, you would probably
tance means to put sentences or paragraphs in order
do well to write in chronological order.
from most to least important, or from least to most
A common mistake made by beginning writers
important. For example, let’s say you’re telling a
is to skip around in time. For example, when telling
coworker about your rotten weekend. Three terrible
about a football game, one might write:
things happened to you: you lost your hat, you
stubbed your toe, and you were very ill. Assuming that
Our team got a touchdown! The running back
your illness is the most important event and losing
got the ball at the 48 yard line and ran it all
your hat is the second most important event, you
the way to the end zone. The coach told the
might tell the story like this:
quarterback to go long, but instead he handed
it off to the running back.
This was a terrible weekend. I stubbed my toe
so badly that now I can hardly walk. Even
As you can see, this is not the order in which
worse, on Saturday night I lost my hat. Worst
things actually happened; that is, it’s not written in
of all, when I came home Saturday night I got
chronological order and may be confusing to some. A
violently ill!

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On the GED® test, you’ll be expected to know
when sentences or paragraphs are in the wrong
order. Look for key words like more/most, worse/
worst, and better/best to determine what order things
should be in.
Cause and Effect
Cause and effect is an organizational style that either
puts the entire cause of an event first, and then the
effect, or vice versa. The key to this method is to be
sure that the two are entirely separated and clear. For
example, let’s say you got in a car wreck because a deer
ran out in front of you. You might write something
like this:
(1) Last week, I had to get my front bumper
replaced. (2) I also had to get my windshield
replaced and the front tires realigned. (3) All
this trouble came into my life because I ran
into a deer last Monday.
As you can see, the two sentences describing the
effect are together at the beginning of the paragraph,
while the sentence describing the cause is at the end.
The paragraph would not be as well organized if you
moved sentence (3) in front of sentence (2), thereby
interrupting the organizational flow.
Quiz
Now that you’ve had a chance to review the writing
skills needed to do well on the GED® test, give the fol-
lowing questions a try. Read each question, and then
choose the one best answer for each.
18. Sentence (1): Every time my brother takes a
shower, he leave a huge mess.
Which revision should be made to
sentence (1)?
a. replace Every with All
b. change takes to take
c. change leave to leaves
d. replace mess with messy
19. Sentence (1) I used to enjoy going out to dance.
(2) When I was younger.
Which revision should be made to
sentence (2)?
a. delete sentence (2) and add a sentence about
dancing
b. move sentence (2) in front of sentence
(1) and add the word However
c. add for example to the beginning of sentence
(2) and instead of at the end of sentence (1)
d. connect the sentences by removing the
period at the end of sentence (1) and set
When in lowercase
20. Sentence (1) She ate the cake. (2) Which the
king had poisoned.
Which revision should be made to
sentence (2)?
a. delete the word which
b. change the word Which to That
c. connect sentences with a comma instead
of a period and set Which in lowercase
d. add the word And to the beginning of the
sentence
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21. Sentence (1): Three of us began the race,
however, only two of us finished it.
Which revision should be made to
sentence (1)?
a. move Three of us began the race to the
end of the sentence
b. change the first comma to a period
and capitalize however
c. delete however and replace with because
d. change however to nevertheless
22. Sentence (1): The car was smashed by a
cement mixer.
Which revision should be made to
sentence (1)?
a. delete was
b. place a period after smashed
c. move cement mixer in front of car
d. change the order to A cement mixer
smashed the car
23. Sentence (1): The last time I went to see my
friend in Dallas, he’s living on the south side.
Which of the following revisions should be
made to sentence (1)?
a. delete The
b. change the comma to a period and
capitalize he’s
c. change he’s to he was
d. move he’s living on the south side to
the beginning of the sentence
148
For questions 24 through 26, read the sentences and
then choose the best answer.
(1) Last week I had too get my front
bumper replaced. (2) I also has to get my
windshield replaced and the front tires
realigned. (3) All this trouble came into
my life, because I ran into a deer last
Monday.
24. Which of the following revisions should be
made to sentence (1)?
a. move Last week to the end of the sentence
b. change too to to
c. delete the word front
d. change has to had
25. Sentence (2): I also has to get my windshield
replaced and the front tires realigned.
Which of the following revisions should be
made to sentence (2)?
a. delete also
b. change has to had
c. add a comma after replaced
d. add a semicolon after and
26. Sentence (3): All this trouble came into my life,
because I ran into a deer last Monday.
Which of the following revisions should be
made to sentence (3)?
a. delete the comma after life
b. move because I ran into a deer last Monday to
the beginning of the sentence
c. add a comma after deer
d. change Monday to monday
27. Which of the following should a good
introduction do?
a. summarize the essay
b. develop the argument
c. get the reader’s attention
d. leave the reader with a sense of closure
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Answers and Explanations
Chapter Practice
1. Subject: the woman; Predicate: is waiting for
Mr. Williams. This is a complete sentence: it
expresses a complete idea and includes a subject
and a predicate. Note that the subject is the
woman, not the lobby—the lobby isn’t waiting
for Mr. Williams.
2. Subject: Mr. Williams; Predicate: went down-
stairs. This is a complete sentence: It expresses a
complete idea and includes a subject and a
predicate.
3. d. This sentence uses a subordinating conjunc-
tion—wherever—but wherever doesn’t make
sense here. Here is a better use of wherever to
combine two clauses: Wherever I go with
Andy, he always seems to know someone.
4. b. This revision tries to blend the clauses
together with a semicolon, but in the process
it chops out some key words. By itself, in the
middle of nowhere is not a clause and it
doesn’t make sense tacked on at the end with
a semicolon.
5. c. The problem with the original sentence is
that it contains a series (apply to colleges, look for
a better job, or staying in her current job), but the
series is not parallel. The third item (staying in
her current job) doesn’t fit with the first two,
and it also doesn’t make sense with the phrase
that introduces the series (she had to decide
whether she was going to . . .). This revision is
correct because the third item has been fixed—
it is now similar to the other two items (it starts
off with the correct verb form, stay), and it
makes sense logically in the sentence.
6. c. In this sentence, They identifies who or what
is performing the action. It is therefore the sub-
ject of the sentence.
7. a. The first part of this sentence, If you think it
is a good team, would be a fragment if it stood
alone. It makes us wonder, okay, if we think the
Heat is a good team, then what? It needs an
additional thought to form a complete
sentence.
8. c. Not going to happen today is a sentence frag-
ment because it’s missing a subject and a proper
verb. If we add these elements, we can turn it
into a complete sentence. For example: The meet-
ing is not going to happen today.
9. a. This revision combines the first clause (I’m
going away on business) and the third clause (I’ll
be gone this weekend) into one complete sen-
tence. This is a good idea, because these clauses
communicate related ideas—they provide the
background information that the speaker wants
the listener to know before he or she asks for a
favor. This choice also turns could you please
watch the house into its own sentence by capital-
izing could and adding a question mark (all
questions should end with a question mark).
The last sentence is now its own sentence, too.
10. d. This sentence starts off with an independent
clause and ends with a dependent clause. There
is no reason for the comma.
11. b. Both We’re (meaning We are) and the pos-
sessive family’s are spelled correctly.
12. c. The possessives Tom’s and the possessive
children’s are spelled correctly, as is wasn’t (a
contraction meaning was not).
13. d. The sentence should read: You’re not going to
fix that car’s problems without the proper tools.
14. c. In this sentence, the phrase my friend from
high school is a nonrestrictive appositive: it gives
additional information about the subject, Larry,
but is not essential to the meaning of the sen-
tence (that he lives next door). Commas are
always used to set off nonrestrictive appositives
from the rest of the sentence.
15. d. The sentence is correctly punctuated as is.
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16. a. There is no reason for commas in the date
February 1994 (a month and year), but there
should be a comma between the city and state
(Duluth, Minnesota).
17. c. This sentence requires a comma to set off
the quote, quotation marks to surround the
quote, a colon to introduce the list of three
states (because it comes after an independent
clause, I like vacationing in three states), and
commas after the words Texas and New Mexico.
Quiz
18. c. The subject and verb must agree. The singu-
lar subject, he, requires a singular verb.
19. d. By itself, sentence (2) is a fragment. Connect-
ing it to sentence (1) makes it a dependent
clause of a complete sentence.
20. c. By itself, sentence (2) is a fragment. Connect-
ing it to sentence (1) makes it part of a com-
plete sentence.
21. b. When the word however is used between two
clauses, you can place either a period or a
semicolon at the end of the first clause.
150
22. d. It is preferable that sentences use an active
voice rather than a passive voice. By changing
the order of the words, you can have the sub-
ject be the thing doing the action.
23. c. The beginning of the sentence is written in
the past tense, so the end of the sentence
must also be in past tense. He’s, which is a
contraction for he is, is present tense.
24. b. Too and to are homonyms. Too means also,
and is not the correct word in this sentence.
25. b. The verb has does not agree with the subject
I, and also shifts the passage from past to
present tense. Replacing has with had corrects
these issues.
26. a. A comma is not needed in this sentence.
27. c. The purpose of an introduction is to intro-
duce the topic and catch the reader’s atten-
tion. This is your chance to make the reader
want to continue reading your essay.
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REVIEW
Sentence structure refers to the way words are put together to create sentences. It includes
the following concepts:
UÊ Subjects and predicates. A subject is who or what the sentence is about; a predicate is
the verb and everything that comes after it. Every complete sentence has a subject and
a predicate.
UÊ ˜`i«i˜`i˜ÌÊ >˜`Ê `i«i˜`i˜ÌÊ V>ÕÃiÃ°Ê A clause is a group of words that includes a
subject and a predicate. An independent clause is a complete sentence; a dependent
clause is not complete on its own.
UÊ À>}“i˜ÌÃÊ>˜`ÊÀ՘‡œ˜Ã°ÊA fragment is an incomplete sentence; a run-on is two com-
plete sentences joined together with a comma or no punctuation at all.
UÊ
V̈ÛiÊ >˜`Ê «>ÃÈÛiÊ ÛœˆVi°Ê In an active voice, the subject of a sentence is doing the
action. In a passive voice, the action is being done to the subject.
1Ã>}iÊrefers to the rules that determine how words should be used in sentences. It includes the
following concept:
UÊ -ÕLiVÌqÛiÀLÊ>}Àii“i˜Ì°ÊA verb should be made singular or plural to match its subject.
Mechanics are the nuts and bolts of writing, including punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
In regard to punctuation, one of the most important things to study is comma rules. In regard to
spelling, you’ll need to learn how to use homonyms correctly.
"À}>˜ˆâ>̈œ˜ refers to the way sentences and paragraphs are placed in order. There are three
major types of organization:
UÊ
…Àœ˜œœ}ˆV>ÊœÀ`iÀ°ÊEvents are written in the order in which they occurred in time.
UÊ "À`iÀÊ œvÊ ˆ“«œÀÌ>˜Vi°Ê Sentences and paragraphs are written in order from least to
most important, or vice versa.
UÊ
>ÕÃiÊ>˜`ÊivviVÌ° Everything having to do with the cause is written separately from
everything having to do with the effect.

On the GED® Test Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) Review, you’ll be expected to know
when sentences or paragraphs are in the wrong order.

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 7 THE EXTENDED
C H A P T E R

RESPONSE ESSAY:
TIPS AND SCORING

C HAPTER SUMMARY
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to recognize the parts of an effec-
tive essay. You’ll also learn how to use the basic steps of the writ-
ing process to plan and draft an effective essay in response to a
given prompt.

About the GED ® Test Extended Response Question

The GED® Reasoning through Language Arts test features one extended response item that requires you to write
a short essay in response to a reading passage or pair of passages. These reading passages are between 550 and
650 words, and will focus on presenting arguments or viewpoints along with supporting evidence. Your job will
be to analyze these arguments and evidence, incorporating your own knowledge and views while still focusing
mainly on the author and his or her intent. Your extended response should always include evidence presented
within the passage itself as the main basis for your arguments. You should also analyze or evaluate the validity of
the evidence presented in the passage. Note that this test item is not about choosing the “right” or “wrong” side
of an issue. It is intended to test your ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Before you take the GED® RLA test, practice your typing skills. On exam day, you will have a lot to say, and
you don’t want to waste part of your 45 minutes hunting for letters on the keyboard. A good goal for taking the
GED® RLA test is to be comfortable typing sentences on a computer. When you practice essay writing, set a
timer for yourself so you can see what it feels like to type with the clock ticking.

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Before You Write Your Essay
Producing a great essay for the GED® test requires a
step-by-step process, and many of those steps take
place before you write it. Take the time to work
through this lesson, and you’ll have a good foundation
for writing your best essay on test day.
ERASABLE WHITEBOARDS
When you take the GED® test, you will be
provided with an erasable whiteboard to jot
down notes. These are especially useful dur-
ing the extended response question, as you
prepare to write your essay. If you need
additional whiteboards during testing, you
can request a fresh one and turn in the one
that you’ve already used. You are allowed to
have only one whiteboard at a time.
Understanding the Prompt
Writing an extended response essay requires you not
only to analyze the passage(s) but also to respond to a
specific prompt. Take a look at this sample prompt:
PROMPT
In the following article, the pros and cons of
wearing school uniforms are discussed. In
your response, analyze both positions to
determine which view is better supported.
Use relevant and specific evidence from the
passage to support your response.
Type your response in the box; you will
have approximately 45 minutes to complete
it.
154
To understand exactly what you’re being asked to
write about, carefully read the prompt and identify:
n The issue (pros and cons of wearing school uni-
forms)
n The description of what you are asked to do
(analyze both positions; determine which view is
better supported; use relevant and specific evidence
from the passage to support your response)
n Instructions for completing the task (type your
response in the box; you will have approximately 45
minutes to complete it)
Reading the Passage(s)
There’s a natural tendency to want to rush into writing
the essay—that’s what you are being tested on, after
all—and to skimp on reading the passage(s). Avoid
doing this. The only way to produce a good essay is to
read the passage(s) carefully, understand it/them, and
pull out what you will need when you write.
Follow these five steps as you read the
passage(s). At the end of the process, you will have
good information and ideas to use as you write your
essay.
1. Before you start to read, scan the passage(s) to
get a sense of what the passage(s) is/are about
and note how the information is organized.
2. Read the passage(s). Because you know you
will definitely have to respond, as you read try
to relate the information in the passage(s) to
your own life experiences.
3. As you read, use your whiteboard to write
down questions that you have about the
content.
4. Determine the author’s main argument, and
write that down. Then quickly outline the main
points that the author makes to support that
argument and restate them in your own words.
5. Evaluate the author’s argument. Did he or she
provide good support or enough evidence for
it? Why or why not? Does the way the author
writes affect you emotionally? Why or why not?
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What’s in an Essay
An essay is a short piece of nonfiction writing that
presents the writer’s point of view on a particular sub-
ject. Remember, short is a relative term; in this case, it
basically means shorter than a book. An essay can actu-
ally be as short as a paragraph or two, or as long as 50
pages. On the GED® test, you’ll want to shoot for a
four or five paragraph essay.
Every essay has three main parts: an introduc-
tion, a body, and a conclusion, also known as a begin-
ning, middle, and end. In a five-paragraph essay, the
first paragraph is the introduction, the last paragraph
is the conclusion, and the three paragraphs in the
middle are the body.
The Introduction
The introduction is the first paragraph in an essay. In a
five-paragraph essay such as the one you’ll be writing
for the GED® test, the introduction is usually about
three or four sentences long. It has three main purposes:
n state the main idea of the essay
n catch the reader’s attention
n set the tone for the rest of the essay
Stating the Main Idea
A main idea is the main thing the writer wants the
reader to know. The main idea of a paragraph is stated
in the topic sentence, and the topic sentence is often
the first sentence of the paragraph. Like a paragraph,
an essay has a main idea. It is stated in a single sen-
tence called the thesis statement, which is generally
the last sentence of the introduction.
On the GED® test, your thesis statement should
be a clear, concise answer to the prompt. For example,
a possible thesis sentence for a sample prompt asking
what you would choose if you could relive one day of
your life might be as follows:
If I could do one thing in my life again, I
would relive my wedding day.
This is a good thesis statement because it clearly
answers the question in the prompt. It also presents
the main idea of the essay without trying to tell the
reader too much at once.
Catching the Reader’s Attention
In addition to containing the thesis statement, a good
introduction starts off with a couple of sentences that
catch the reader’s attention. Obviously, the content of
these sentences will vary widely depending on your
thesis statement. A possible introduction based on the
sample thesis statement provided might look some-
thing like this:
What if you could live one day of your life over
again? Some people might choose to relive a day
in order to change something about their lives.
Others might simply want a second chance to
enjoy a great experience. If I could do one thing
in my life again, I would relive my wedding day.
As you can see, the three sentences at the begin-
ning of the paragraph lead into the thesis statement in
a relatively engaging way. It might not be Harry Potter,
but it’s definitely better than the following approach:
This is my paper about the thing I would like to
do over again in my life. I would like to live my
wedding day over again.
The people who grade GED® test extended
responses read dozens, perhaps even hundreds of
essays written from the same prompt. An essay with a
clear, creative introduction will almost certainly earn
a higher score than an introduction that merely states
what the essay is supposed to be about.
Setting the Tone for the Essay
Finally, a good introduction sets the tone for the rest
of the essay. Tone refers to the attitude the writer takes
toward the subject and the reader. For example, your
tone might be formal, informal, humorous, ironic,
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aggressive, or apologetic. The tone you choose depends
to some extent on your purpose for writing. For
example, if your purpose is to amuse the reader, your
tone will be humorous.
On the GED® test, it is a good idea to use a for-
mal tone. That means using standard English vocabu-
lary and grammar, rather than casual slang such as
you might use with a friend. You should strive to use
complete sentences with correct grammar and punc-
tuation, and to keep contractions (words like can’t,
don’t, and won’t) to a minimum. Using a formal tone
in your writing shows respect for your readers while
proving that you are able to write correctly.
To better understand the difference between
formal and informal tone, take a look at the following
examples. The first example is written using an infor-
mal tone. The second uses a formal tone. In both
examples the thesis statement is bold so that you can
easily locate it.
Example 1: You know, living your life over again
would be like a dream. I guess some people would
want to go back and try to change something they
messed up the first time, and some people would
probably just want to relive a day when they did
something really cool. I would totally do my
wedding day again.
Example 2: What if you could live one day of
your life over again? Some people might choose to
relive a day in order to change something about
their lives. Others might simply want a second
chance to enjoy a great experience. If I could do
one thing in my life again, I would relive my
wedding day.
While the first example may be a more accurate
representation of how people speak, it is not an
acceptable way to write an academic essay. The second
example uses a tone that is appropriate to academic
writing. You will be expected to write using a similar
tone on the GED® test.
Notice that in both introductions the thesis
statement is the last sentence of the paragraph. You
should strive to structure your introductions in the
same way. Just as businesspeople generally chat for a
few minutes before getting down to business, a good
writer strives to get the reader’s attention before stat-
ing the essay’s main idea.
Now you try it. Using the space below, draft and
write an introduction only in response to the following
prompt:
What is your favorite thing? Whether it is a
gift you were given during your childhood or
something you saved up for years for and
bought, you probably have something that is
special to you. Write about this special object
and why it is important to you.

Introduction:

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The Body wedding day was the last time I saw my

The body is the part of the essay where you develop
and defend your argument. Like the essay itself, the
body can range from a single paragraph to many pages
in length. For the purposes of the GED® test, however,
the body of your essay should be two or three para-
graphs long.
You have learned that each paragraph must have
a topic sentence stating the main idea of the para-
graph. As previously mentioned, it’s a good idea to
make the topic sentence the first sentence of the para-
graph so that your reader knows right away what the
paragraph is going to be about.
The following paragraph is an example of a body
paragraph that might follow the sample introduction
on reliving one’s wedding day:
Reliving my wedding day would give me the
opportunity to see my family together again.
It was the only day of my life when my mom’s
and my dad’s families came together to
celebrate in one place. Furthermore, my
grandfather because he passed away a few
weeks later.
The first sentence is the topic sentence and states
the main idea of the paragraph—that reliving the
wedding day would allow the writer to see his or her
family together again. The other sentences support the
main idea by providing examples of how the family
was united that day. As a whole, the paragraph devel-
ops the main idea of the essay, which is that the writer
would like to experience his or her wedding day again.
It’s your turn. Using the space provided, write a
thesis and body paragraph that explores the following
prompt.
What is your favorite thing? Whether it is a
gift you were given during your childhood or
something you saved up for years for and
bought, you probably have something that is
special to you. Write about this special object
and why it is important to you.

Your thesis:

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Body paragraph:

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The Conclusion Original thesis:

The conclusion is the final paragraph of the essay. A
good conclusion should accomplish the following If I could do one thing in my life again, I
things: would relive my wedding day.

1. restate the main idea Restated:

2. give the reader a sense of closure
Restating the Main Idea
The purpose of restating the main idea in the conclu-
sion is twofold; first, it reminds the reader of the most
important thing you want him or her to remember.
Second, it gives the essay a more unified feeling.
Restating the main idea, however, doesn’t neces-
sarily mean writing the exact same thing or simply
switching the words around. You can be more creative
this time around, including adding some extra infor-
mation or restating your ideas in a new and interesting
way. Here’s one way to restate the thesis statement
we’ve been working with throughout this chapter:
Though I will never have the chance, I would
love to be able to experience my wedding day
again.
In this example, the main idea is given in both
sentences, but in the second one it includes something
more: the idea that reliving any moment of one’s life
is impossible. It adds a sense of regret to the essay that
can leave the reader feeling pleasantly wistful.
Now it’s your turn to write. Using the following
lines, rewrite the thesis statement you wrote in the
previous example as it would appear in the conclusion
of your essay.

Original thesis:

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________________________________________________________________________________________

Restated thesis:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

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Giving the Reader a Sense of Closure Beautiful weather, a fairytale setting,

To give readers a sense of closure means to make them
feel satisfied with how the essay ends. It’s difficult to
say specifically what to do so that people come away
with this feeling. It’s fairly easy, however, to say what
not to do. To ensure that readers feel a sense of closure
at the end of your essay,
n don’t introduce completely new ideas.
n don’t only refer to narrow, specific examples.
n don’t end your essay with a question.
An example of an effective conclusion for the
topic of reliving some moment of your life would be:
my happy family; for one day of my life,
everything was perfect. Although I know
I will never have the chance, I would love
to experience my wedding day again.
As you can see, the conclusion doesn’t have to be
long and involved. It just needs to be a long enough to
tie the essay together and leave the reader feeling satis-
fied. Although conclusions can be difficult to write
well, it becomes easier with practice.
Using the following space, write a conclusion for
the essay you’ve been working on in the previous
examples. Include the restated thesis you wrote in the
last exercise.

Original thesis:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Restated thesis:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

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How Your Essay Will Be Scored clear opinion about what you’ve read. You will be
scored on how well you use the information from the
Your extended response essay will be scored based on passage(s) to support your argument.
three traits, or elements:

n Trait 1: Creation of arguments and use of evidence NOTE

n Trait 2: Development of ideas and organizational To earn the highest score possible, you must
structure reference and restate information from the
n Trait 3: Clarity and command of standard Eng- passage(s), not just mention information
lish conventions from your own personal experiences.

Your essay will be scored on a scale where each trait is

worth up to 2 points, for a possible total of 6 points.
The total is then doubled, so the maximum number of
possible points you can earn is 12.
Creation of Arguments and Use
of Evidence
Trait 1 tests your ability to write an essay that takes a
stance based on the information in the reading
passage(s). To earn the highest score possible, you
must carefully read the information and express a
Your score will also be based on how well you analyze
the author’s argument in the passage(s), if he or she
makes one. To earn the highest score possible, discuss
whether you think the author is making a good argu-
ment, and why or why not.
For your reference, here is a table that the GED®
test scorers will use when determining if your essay
should get a score of 2, 1, or 0 for Trait 1.

TO ATTAIN
A SCORE OF: DESCRIPTION
2 n Generates text-based argument(s) and establishes a purpose that is connected to the prompt
n Cites relevant and specific evidence from the source text s to support argument s
n naly es the issue and or evaluates the validity of the argumentation within the source texts
e.g., distinguishes between supported and unsupported claims, makes reasonable inferences
about underlying premises or assumptions, identifies fallacious reasoning, evaluates the
credibility of sources, etc.

1 n Generates an argument and demonstrates some connection to the prompt

n Cites some evidence from the source text s to support argument s may include a mix of rele-
vant and irrelevant citations or a mix of textual and non textual references
n Partially analy es the issue and or evaluates the validity of the argumentation within the source
texts; may be simplistic, limited, or inaccurate

0 n May attempt to create an argument lacks purpose or connection to the prompt does
neither
n Cites minimal or no evidence from source text s sections of text may be copied from source
n Minimally analy es the issue and or evaluates the validity of the argumentation within the
source texts; may completely lack analysis or demonstrate minimal or no understanding of the
given argument(s)

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Development of Ideas and
Organization Structure
Trait 2 tests whether you respond to the writing
prompt with a well-structured essay. Support of your
thesis must come from evidence in the passage(s), as
well as personal opinions and experiences that build
on your central idea. Your ideas must be fully explained
and include specific details.
Your essay should use words and phrases that
allow your details and ideas to flow naturally.
Here is a table that the GED® test scorers will
use when determining if your essay should get a score
of 2, 1, or 0 for Trait 2.

TO ATTAIN
A SCORE OF: DESCRIPTION
2 n Contains ideas that are well developed and generally logical; most ideas are elaborated upon
n Contains a sensible progression of ideas with clear connections between details and main
points
n stablishes an organi ational structure that conveys the message and purpose of the
response; applies transitional devices appropriately
n stablishes and maintains a formal style and appropriate tone that demonstrate awareness of
the audience and purpose of the task
n Chooses specific words to express ideas clearly

1 n Contains ideas that are inconsistently developed and or may re ect simplistic or vague rea-
soning; some ideas are elaborated
n Demonstrates some evidence of a progression of ideas but details may be dis ointed or lack-
ing connection to main idea
n stablishes an organi ation structure that may inconsistently group ideas or is partially effec-
tive at conveying the message of the task; uses transitional devices inconsistently
n May inconsistently maintain a formal style and appropriate tone to demonstrate an awareness
of the audience and purpose of the task
n May occasionally misuse words and or choose words that express ideas in vague terms

0 n Contains ideas that are insufficiently or illogically developed with minimal or no elaboration of
main ideas
n Contains an unclear or no progression of ideas; details may be absent or irrelevant to the
main idea
n stablishes an ineffective or no discernible organi ational structure; does not apply transi-
tional devices or does so inappropriately
n ses an informal style and or inappropriate tone that demonstrates limited or no awareness
of audience and purpose
n May frequently misuse words, overuse slang, or express ideas in a vague or rapturous manner

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Clarity and Command of Standard
English Conventions
Trait 3 tests how well you create the sentences that
make up your essay. To earn a high score, you will need
to write sentences with variety—some short, some
long, some simple, some complex. You will also need
to prove that you have a good handle on standard
English, including correct word choice, grammar, and
sentence structure.
If you need to review any topics in grammar,
usage, or mechanics, revisit Chapters 5 and 6 of this
book.
Here is a table that the GED® test scorers will
use when determining if your essay should get a score
of 2, 1, or 0 for Trait 3.

TO ATTAIN
A SCORE OF: DESCRIPTION
2 n Demonstrates largely correct sentence structure and a general uency that enhances clarity
with specific regard to the following skills
n varied sentence structure within a paragraph or paragraphs
n correct subordination, coordination, and parallelism
n avoidance of wordiness and awkward sentence structures
n usage of transitional words, con unctive adverbs, and other words that support logic and
clarity
n avoidance of run on sentences, fused sentences, or sentence fragments
n Demonstrates competent application of the conventions of nglish usage with specific regard
to the following skills
n frequently confused words and homonyms, including contractions
n sub ect verb agreement
n pronoun usage, including pronoun antecedent agreement, unclear pronoun references, and
pronoun case
n placement of modifiers and correct word order
n capitali ation e.g., proper nouns, titles, and beginnings of sentences
n use of apostrophes, with possessive nouns
n use of punctuation e.g., commas in a series or in appositives and other nonessential ele-
ments, end marks, and appropriate punctuation for clause separation
n esponse may contain some errors in mechanics and conventions but they do not interfere with
comprehension; overall, standard usage is at a level appropriate for on demand draft writing

1 n Demonstrates inconsistent sentence structure; may contain some repetitive, choppy, rambling,
or awkward sentences that may detract from clarity; demonstrates inconsistent control over
skills listed in the first bullet under Trait , score of
n Demonstrates inconsistent control of basic conventions with specific regard to skills listed in
the second bullet under Trait , score of
n May contain frequent errors in mechanics and conventions that occasionally interfere with com-
prehension; standard usage is at a minimally acceptable level of appropriateness for on
demand draft writing

0 n Demonstrates consistently awed sentence structure so that meaning may be obscured; dem-
onstrates minimal control over skills listed in the first bullet of Trait , score of
n Demonstrates minimal control of basic conventions with specific regard to skills listed in the
second bullet under Trait , score of
n Contains severe and frequent errors in mechanics and conventions that interfere with compre-
hension; overall standard usage is at an unacceptable level for appropriateness for on demand
draft writing
OR
n esponse is insufficient to demonstrate level of mastery over conventions and usage

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Avoid an Automatic Zero Score
If your essay has any of the following problems, it will
automatically receive a score of 0:
n The entire essay is made up of text copied from
the passage(s) or the prompt.
n The essay shows no evidence that the test taker
has read the prompt.
n The essay is on the wrong topic.
n The essay is incomprehensible (cannot be under-
stood).
n The essay is not in English.
n The essay section is blank.
Extended Response Practice
Use the following prompt to answer this sample
extended response question. As you write your essay,
be sure to:
n Decide which position presented in the passage(s)
is better supported by evidence.
n Explain why your chosen position has better
support.
n Recognize that the position with better support
may not be the position you agree with.
n Present multiple pieces of evidence from the
passage(s) to defend your assertions.
n Thoroughly construct your main points, organiz-
ing them logically, with strong supporting details.
n Connect your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas
with transitional words and phrases.
n Express your ideas clearly and choose your words
carefully.
n Use varied sentence structures to increase the
clarity of your response.
n Reread and revise your response.
PROMPT
The following passage discusses the debate
over violent video games and their effect on
young people. Take no more than 45 min-
utes to read the passage, write your essay,
and then revise it.
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Violent Video Games—Are They Harmful to Young People?

The debate over the effects of video games on the behavior of youths continues today with reports
of school shootings and violent acts in urban neighborhoods. Violent video games are often cited
as the culprit for increased violent behavior in youths. Some people contend that these games
desensitize players to violence and teach children that violence is an acceptable way to resolve
conflicts. Video game supporters state that research on the topic is unsound and that no direct rela-
tionship has been found between video games and violent behavior. In fact, some argue that violent
video games may reduce violence by providing a safe outlet for aggressive and angry feelings.
In testimony presented at a 2012 federal hearing addressing the regulation of the video game
rating system, Cindy Marrix, a psychologist and researcher at the Media and Mind Institute at Wol-
lash University, in Wollash, Idaho, stated there is overwhelming evidence that supports the link
between violent video games and aggressive behavior in young people. Dr. Marrix stated that
research shows that violent video games are more likely than other media to lead to aggressive
behavior because of the repetitive nature of game activities and players’ identification with violent
characters.
Dr. Marrix also noted that the practice of being rewarded for many acts of violence may inten-
sify a game player’s learning of violent acts. She believes that electronic media play a significant
role in the emotional and social development of youth. While there are many video games that
promote learning and cooperative behavior, studies suggest that the video games that include
aggression, violence, and sexualized violence may have a negative impact on children.
Research results reveal that violent video games do increase feelings of hostility and thoughts
about aggression. Dr. Marrix contends that the entertainment industry must recognize the link
between violent behaviors and violent video games, and that these games should depict the real-
istic consequences of violence to show children that violence is not an effective means of resolving
conflict.
While the concerns about the effects of violent video games are understandable, there are
also a number of experts who claim there is no link between video games and violence. After
examination of the research evidence, several authorities have concluded that these studies do not
scientifically validate the hypothesis that the games increase violence. In fact, millions of children
and adults play these games without any ill effects.
Researchers Dr. Erica Trounce and Dr. Jacob Smith state that concerns about current video
games are really no different than those of previous generations regarding the new media of earlier
times. Drs. Trounce and Smith state that research findings that claim violent video games create
violent behaviors come from poorly conducted studies and sensational news reports.
The findings of two recent studies were reported in 2014 in the scientific journal Behind the
Brain. Participants of the first study were assigned to play either a violent or a nonviolent video
game for two hours per day for 20 days. Although male participants were observed to have greater
aggression during the time they played the violent game than female participants, the

(continues)

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results of this study revealed no increase of real-life aggression in players of the violent games.
Results of the second study indicated that a predisposition to respond to certain situations with
acts of aggression, family violence, and male gender were predictive of violent crime, but exposure
to violent video games was not. These results suggest that playing violent video games does not
demonstrate a significant risk for future violent acts.
Worldwide video game sales are predicted to reach over $110 billion in 2016. As games get
more complex and lifelike, the discussion over whether children should be allowed to be exposed
to violent video games will continue.

Read the passage and construct an essay that addresses both positions to determine which is better supported.
the following question: Do violent video games promote Use relevant and specific evidence to support your
violent behavior in youths? In your response, analyze response.

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Extended Response
Practice Sample Essays
Sample Score 2 Response
There is strong reason to believe that violent video
games help create a culture of violence among Amer-
ica’s youths. The playing of violent video games can
cause players to blur the line between fantasy and real-
ity and make them believe there are no consequences
for violent actions. Evidence from a variety of sources
such as psychologists and scientific researchers shows
that we must take steps to curb children’s exposure to
violent video games.
As the testimony of Dr. Cindy Marrix makes
clear, violent video games have a much greater impact
on the behavior of players than other forms of media.
Beyond the “repetitive nature of game activities and
players’ identification with violent characters” that
she mentions, I would also argue that the interactive
component of video games makes them more dan-
gerous than violent movies or television. This is
because players actively contribute to the games’ vio-
lent story lines, whereas movies and television are
passive viewing experiences. Additionally, as Dr. Mar-
rix contends, the system of rewarding game players
for violent actions both desensitizes players to vio-
lence and lends positive associations to violent acts.
While the passage contains evidence against the
link between violent video games and violent behav-
ior, I do not believe it is as strong as the argument
represented by Dr. Marrix. Most significantly, the
study published in Behind the Brain does not seem to
take into consideration the long-term effects of play-
ing violent video games over a sustained amount of
time. Perhaps players’ levels of aggression do not rise
after a few days’ or weeks’ worth of play, but what
about over the course of 10 or 15 years? Most game
players I know, whether they play violent or nonvio-
lent games, have been doing so since early childhood.
Even if many years spent playing such games does not
result in violent behavior, at the very least these games
remove the danger from violent behavior and make it
appear almost normal. This can’t be good for players’
abilities to empathize with victims of violence or fully
grasp the problem of violence in the world today.
Dr. Marrix is right to call for increased vigilance
on the part of both the game makers and the general
public when it comes to violence in video games. As
the passage predicts, these games will only get more
lifelike with time, raising further questions about the
relationship between simulated and real violence.
Factors such as a player’s psychological health and
family background definitely play a part in his or her
tendencies toward violence, but the influence of
interactive media on a child’s emotional development
cannot be ignored.
About This Essay
This extended response is a Score 2 because it contains
an argument that is clearly connected to the prompt.
The author does this by using evidence from the pas-
sage and attributing it correctly (this means that the
writer explained who or what is the source of the evi-
dence). The writer makes reasonable inferences, makes
reasonable claims, and organizes his or her points in a
logical way. He or she looks at both sides of the debate
with fairness and objectivity, adding personal observa-
tions only when they are relevant to the response. The
language, style, and tone of the essay remain formal
throughout. Sentence structure is clear and precise,
and the writer has a varied vocabulary. He or she fol-
lows basic grammar rules, including proper capitaliza-
tion and punctuation.
Sample Score 1 Response
This essay discusses violence and video games. In my
opinion violence is a problem today but video games
don’t make it any worse. Video games can even help
with hand eye coordination and reflexes.
The first source, Dr. Marrix, discusses why she
thinks that video games lead to violence. She says that
people who play video games are more aggressive
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than people who don’t and that they have a hard time
telling the difference between what’s real and what
isn’t. Maybe there is some truth to this but I know
people who have played video games for years and
they are not violent. I think it depends on people’s
families, if their families are good and teach them not
to be aggressive and violent then they should be able
to play video games without resulting in social vio-
lence. Dr. Marrix believes that players “identify” with
violent characters and that this makes them want to
act like the characters in real life, but I think it’s more
like the second source, Doctor Trounce, says: “violent
behaviors come from poorly conducted studies and
sensational news reports.” What she means is that the
news media is responsible for blowing up the prob-
lem of violent video games to sensationalize a story. It
really has no grounding in reality. I also agree with
the study in Behind the Brain magazine, that states
that there is no increase in real-life aggression when
people play video games. This refutes Dr. Marrix’s
point that there is a link between the two. The study
also backs up what I said about the importance of
family in raising nonviolent children.
The article states that people are going to spend
“73.5 billion” dollars on games by the end of 2013.
This alone is enough to show that games are not
going away and that they are very difficult to regulate
because they take up such a large part of the econ-
omy. Dr. Marrix suggests they change the content of
the games, but that will be difficult because so many
people buy them. Instead they should let the consum-
ers decide if they can handle the content of the games.
Games like Grand theft Auto can even help people’s
driving abilities and even pilots sometimes train on
simulators so it is proven that simulated electronic
media can have positive value in society. Plus the
magazine study shows that it is usually only males
that have the problem with violence and video games,
not the entire population. In conclusion I do not see
an established link between violence and video
games, at least not enough so that we have to change
170
our national policy toward games, like Dr. Marrix
suggests.
About This Essay
This extended response is a Score 1 because the argu-
ment has some connection to the prompt, but the
author wanders in making his or her point. He or she
does not follow a logical progression to explain his or
her argument. The writer does not analyze the evi-
dence from the text in depth, and little is done to show
how it connects to the author’s thesis. The essay writer
makes similar points repeatedly, using a tone that
wavers between formal and casual. There are run-on
sentences, some errors in punctuation and capitaliza-
tion, inaccurate quotes, and awkward transitions
between parts of the essay.
Sample Score 0 Response
The article says video games lead to violence I agree
cuz video games r violent & lotsa people play em that
r violent. i’d say ban all the video games cuz they lead
to violence! The game Call of Duty’s very violent, I
know ppl who play it n the graffix r super real look-
ing. Not good for society to have ppl playin these
games. in the article it sez ppl get aggressive when
they play too many games. I would agree wit this, they
have trouble telling whats real and whats fake. The
dr. in the article sez these games have “negative
impact” which is true if you’ve ever seen how violent
the games can b. other parts in the article talk bout
how the games arent that violent that ppl can play
them w/o being violent but I dont know, I think they
raise aggression in players. games once were simpler,
not so violent, but now theyre super violent, the doc-
tors in the article even think so. ppl are gonna spend
“7.53 billion” on games the article states, so its a big-
ger problem then really anyone can handle at this
point . . . its one of the biggest parts of the media and
ppl will find ways to get their games. its to bad b/c I
think its bad for society to have all these people play-
ing so many games not thinking about real problems
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in society like war etc. but I dunno I dont think theres
a solution rite now . . . sad that ppl become so violent
with games.
About This Essay
This extended response is a Score 0 because it has
little or no connection to the prompt, follows no
logical progression, and includes little evidence from
the passage. There is very little analysis of the issue or
of the studies mentioned in the passage; while there
is a very general thesis, it is not fully explained. The
author uses slang and shorthand spellings (for
instance, “sez” and “dunno”) and writes in a tone that
is too casual. There are many errors in spelling, capi-
talization, punctuation, and basic grammar rules,
and the dollar amount is quoted inaccurately. These
prevent the reader from fully understanding what the
writer is trying to say.
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 8
THE EXTENDED
C H A P T E R

RESPONSE ESSAY:
PLANNING AND
REVISING

C HAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter helps you prepare to manage your writing time on
exam day, practice pre-writing skills, and revise your initial draft
on the spot. These skills can also transfer to writing tasks above
and beyond the GED® Reasoning through Language Arts test.

How to Write a Powerful Essay

An effective essay is one that clearly and completely accomplishes its purpose. There are many possible purposes
for an essay: to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to compare, to prove, or to disprove. The purpose of your essay
on the GED® test will most likely be either to inform the reader regarding your opinion of an issue or to persuade
the reader to agree with your point of view on an issue.

Planning
Writing an effective essay requires planning, something that new writers are often reluctant to do. Why? Many
students are impatient and just want to get the job over with. Others worry that taking the time to plan out their
essay will cause them to run out of time to write.
However, planning what you are going to write beforehand should make the writing process much
smoother and easier. It will also help you come up with ideas for what to write, organize your ideas effectively,
and express your ideas clearly once you start writing. Most of the writing you did in the preceding chapter was
much like planning; in this chapter, you will learn how to plan more.

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Prewriting Strategies
We have all been there: at that first moment before
you begin to write. You open your exam book, double
check your scratch paper and pencil, sigh a huge sigh,
whisper to yourself, “Okay, here goes,” and then . . .
nothing. Blank. Nada. It happens to the best of us.
And it is the hardest part about writing. But, here’s
the good news: Once you have gotten past those first
few agonizing moments, and you begin to put your
thoughts in motion, the hardest part is over! You
remember that you are a person with a purpose, and
you are ready to embark on your GED® extended
response essay.
Organizing your thoughts before writing is
absolutely critical. It is probably the most important
step in the entire writing process. Before you even put
fingers on keys, you have to start thinking. So, do
whatever you can to put yourself in a mental state of
free-flowing thought. You need to allow yourself the
ability to really focus.
This chapter will include the following aspects
of organizing your writing:
n Thinking styles
n Outlining
n Order of importance
Thinking Styles
This might sound more like a lesson in Zen Bud-
dhism, but clear thinking makes all the difference in
your writing performance. You can start by first fig-
uring out what type of thinker you are. This seems
funny, but isn’t it obvious in everyday life how differ-
ently people think? Just try getting three small chil-
dren and their grandmother to agree on what to have
for dinner, and you will see what I mean. You could
conceivably have ten people in a room with each per-
son looking at the same issue in a diametrically dif-
ferent way. So, you have to understand what kind of
174
thinker you are. There are two basic thinking styles
that can be associated with writing: linear thinking
and free association.
Linear Thinker
You are a linear thinker if you organize your ideas in
chronological or sequential order. If you are working
with a time line, you simply list events chronologi-
cally, starting with the first event:
Example
The school library needs to be reorganized. Given
its enormous size, several student volunteers will
be involved in the reorganization. As a result, you
need to make a chronological list—bulleted or
numerical, from beginning to present—of the
steps that must be taken in order to get the job
done.
Sample notes: Linear thinker (using chronology):
n Reorganization agreed upon March 23, 2014; proj-
ect to be completed May 23, 2014.
n Step 1 (March 26–April 9): Remove all books from
shelves.
n Step 2 (April 16–22): Clean shelves, removing all
shelf labels and notations from the old organiza-
tion system.
n Step 3 (April 23, 11 A.M.): Meeting to approve new
reorganization system.
n Step 4 (April 25–May 9): Donate unneeded books,
order new books, and label book spines with new
organization system notation.
n Step 5 (May 10–May 17): Place all books on shelves,
leaving ample room for future book acquisitions.
n Step 6 (May 18–May 22): Test out new organization
system, receive feedback from employees, and
make necessary changes.
n Step 7 (May 23): Project completion.
If you are thinking sequentially, you make an outline
or a list that begins with your most important ideas.
 – T HE EX T END ED RES P O N S E E S S AY: P L A N N I N G A N D R E V I S I N G –
You then move down your list of thoughts in descend-
ing order of importance:
Example
You need to write an essay comparing the effec-
tiveness of two different pieces of writing. So, you
sketch a quick outline that covers what you need
to say in order of importance.
Sample notes: Linear thinker (using sequence):
1. Introduce topic and first essay author (remem-
bering our minimum wage essay, that would be
President Roosevelt).
2. List points of support:
a. We must “reduce the lag in the purchasing
power of industrial workers and . . .
strengthen and stabilize the markets for the
farmers’ products.”
b. Our nation has resources and a hardworking
population, and we should treat people
fairly, if we consider ourselves a “self-
supporting and self-respecting democracy.”
c. Child labor and worker exploitation are
unforgivable.
d. “Enlightened business” means knowing that
competition is not more important than the
humans doing the work to earn the profits.
3. Introduce second author:
a. Ralph Phillips, asking for “informed
alternative views.”
b. Increasing minimum wage will harm the
economy—government doesn’t belong in
the workplace.
c. Employers will have to pay workers more,
which means firing workers, raising prices,
and making less profit.
d. Phillips worked in a very low-paying job and
still achieved professional stability. Why
can’t everyone do that?
4. Analyze the support each author provides for
his argument, using specific evidence.
Free Association Thinker
You are a free association thinker if you use no par-
ticular sequence in your initial thinking.
You have a thought, jot it down as it comes to
you, and then provide supporting details last. You
might write down key words that you know will trig-
ger your memory later. You will eventually do an out-
line, but you need to see all your ideas laid out on
paper first.
You can refer to this type of thinking as bubble
thinking. Thoughts may come to you at lightning
speed, so you should write down notes as quickly as
you think of them. You can then circle each separate
idea in its own bubble so you can categorize them
logically later. When you’re done taking notes, rear-
range each bubble until the essay flows sensibly.
The thinking style notes in this section are obvi-
ously very brief, but they address the important
points. Of course, the length of your outline will vary
depending on the level of detail you have time for,
and how much you know about the essays you’re
responding to. The important thing to determine is
what kind of thinker you are. Once you have done
that, you can apply yourself to your next step: orga-
nizing your notes logically.
There are three main steps to successfully plan-
ning an essay:
1. come up with a thesis statement
2. brainstorm ideas related to your thesis
statement
3. organize your ideas into an outline
The following subsections describe each step in
detail.
Coming Up with a Thesis Statement
Many students find it difficult to come up with an
effective thesis statement. Often, writing a thesis state-
ment for the GED® test is as simple as answering a
question about yourself, a question that may appear in
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the prompt. Then all you have to do is answer it. For thing. Simply take the sentence that instructs you to do
example: something and turn it into a question. For example:

What is your favorite thing? Whether it is a
gift you were given during your childhood or
something you saved up for years to buy, you
probably have something that is special to you.
Write about this special object and why it is
important to you.
The question here is What is your favorite thing?
Your thesis statement should answer that question in
a complete sentence.
Sometimes, the prompt provided is in the form of
a statement. In this case, there will be a sentence that
gives you instructions to tell, describe, or explain some-
Many people believe that humans’ spirits
remain on earth after they die, in the form of
ghosts. Explain why you do or do not believe
that ghosts exist.
Notice that the second sentence of the prompt
gives you instructions: Explain why. Drop the word
explain and turn the statement into a question: Do you
or do you not believe that ghosts exist? Again, your the-
sis statement should answer that question.
Let’s practice what you’ve learned so far. Write a
thesis statement in response to the following prompt:
Embarrassing moments often remain clear in
our memories, despite the fact that we would
like to forget them. Tell about one of your most
embarrassing experiences.

Thesis statement:

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Brainstorming Your Ideas n flowers n grandmother’s dress

Brainstorm is simply another way of saying write n beautiful day n mom and dad happy
down anything you can think of as fast as you possibly
n perfect temperature n mom’s family and
can. The purpose of brainstorming is to help you get
no rain dad’s family
all your ideas down on paper so that you can figure n

out how to organize them later. n

family together
n no fighting
So let’s say you’ve come up with the following n laughter
n
husband handsome
thesis statement: If I could do one thing in my life again,
n
felt like a princess
n great music
I would relive my wedding day. To brainstorm ideas
related to this thesis, you would take out a blank sheet n beautiful hair
of paper, write your thesis at the top, and then spend
about three or four minutes writing down whatever At this point, the brainstorm doesn’t look anything
related thoughts come to you, in no particular order. like an essay; it just looks like a bunch of ideas. The
Here is a sample brainstorm on this thesis statement: next thing to do is to sort through the mess by going

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over each thing you wrote down, circling related
ideas, and connecting them by drawing a line
between them. This leaves you with a brainstorm
that looks like this:
Collecting Details from Passages
To support your thesis, gather information from the
passage(s) that will allow you to express a strong
opinion. A good essay will include specific details that
will help the reader understand your position.

flowers beautiful hair

TAKE NOTE
beautiful day grandmother’s dress On the GED® test, you must include evi-
dence from the passage(s) that supports
perfect temperature mom and dad happy your thesis statement and must also analyze
evidence in the passage(s) that does not
support your position.
no rain mom’s family and
dad’s family

As you jot down details from the passage(s) to use in

family together no fighting your essay, ask the following questions:

husband handsome laughter 1. Does this information support my thesis

statement?
felt like a princess great music 2. Does this evidence persuade the reader to
believe or agree with my position?

The largest groups in the brainstorm should tell you The following is an example of a passage that pre-
what the main ideas will be for the body of your essay. sents an issue (the pros and cons of school uniforms).
In this brainstorm, there are three ideas related to the We will analyze this passage in the next section. Write
weather (beautiful day, perfect temperature, no rain), down notes, important details, and a thesis statement
three related to the bride’s appearance (felt like a prin- as you read.
cess, beautiful hair, grandmother’s dress), and five
ideas related to the family (family together, mom and
dad happy, mom’s family and dad’s family, no fighting,
and laughter). That means the three body paragraphs
in the essay should have to do with weather, the bride’s
appearance, and the family.

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The Pros and Cons of School Uniforms for Your Child

Although uniforms have been a mainstay of private schools, public schools jumped on the band-
wagon in 1994, when the California school district of Long Beach implemented school uniforms.
According to the Long Beach school district, within one year after the implementation of uni-
forms, the fights and muggings at school decreased by 50%, while committed sexual offenses
were reduced by 74%. Across the country, similar statistics abound; for example, at Ruffner Mid-
dle School in Norfolk, Virginia, the number of discipline referrals decreased by 42% once uni-
forms were enforced. Subsequently, fueled by these statistics, more schools across the country
are implementing uniforms in public schools. Nonetheless, there are other statistics that argue
that uniforms are not as beneficial as school administrators believe. Thus, the question still
remains: Are public school uniforms good for your child?
There are fundamentally two benefits associated with school uniforms: a focus on learning, as
well as a reduction of violence on campus. Many school administrators and parents believe that uni-
forms create a better learning environment at school. First and foremost, students are not distracted
by how they look and therefore pay more attention to learning at school. The peer pressures of styl-
ish dressing with the best brands are alleviated, and students can focus more on their schoolwork,
rather than on social appearances. In fact, the socioeconomic differences present among students
are equalized with school uniforms, minimizing the pressure to fit in with the right clothing choices.
According to the publication School Administrator, the mandate of uniforms on campuses has
reduced tardiness, skipped classes, suspensions, and discipline referrals. In addition, with the visual
uniformity present across all students, school pride has increased. Similar to athletic team uniforms,
dressing cohesively increases pride, unity, and a renewed commitment to the school. With uniforms,
a more professional tone is set in school, encouraging students to take their studies more seriously.
Uniforms are more expensive up front, as the parent must invest in all of the staples; however, as the
school year progresses, there are fewer purchases that need to be made. Last, uniforms at school
reduce the prevalence of violence, which is a major concern for many public schools. Outsiders who
do not belong on campus are easily identified and thus do not pose a great threat to the students.
Uniforms also reduce the cliques and gangs on school campuses. When it is not easy to identify
members of gangs, the fights and violence decrease. Students can no longer be distracted by who is
wearing which gang color, and therefore, the campus is kept safer with less incidence of fighting.
The opponents of public school uniforms, as outlined by the ACLU’s argument for the First
Amendment, argue that uniforms stifle a student’s need for self-expression. Students need to be
encouraged to embrace their individualism, and uniforms deny that self-expression. According to
opponents of uniforms, even preschoolers should have input into their wardrobes, and the need
to encourage personality, confidence, and independence grows more important as the student
becomes older. Without the outlet of expression in their clothing choices, students may turn to
inappropriate hairstyles, jewelry, or makeup. Denying students their ability to express individual-
ism and belief in a subculture, whether preppy, hip-hop, punk, or jock, could stymie their transi-
tion from childhood into adulthood. Controlling the socialization process could harm them as

(continues)

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adults; they may not be prepared for the real world, where people are indeed judged by their
appearances. In addition, others argue that uniforms may not be comfortable for all students. As
it is important to ensure that the student is comfortable in order to maximize learning outcomes,
uniforms may stymie academic focus. Students cannot wear their uniforms outside of school, and
thus, there is the double cost of both uniforms and a casual wardrobe.
—Adapted from “Public School Uniforms: The Pros and Cons for Your Child,” by Grace Chen, April 23,
2008, publicschoolreview.com.

Organization of Your Essay
A good GED® test essay starts with an introductory
paragraph that presents the main idea, follows with
body paragraphs that contain support for the main
idea, and closes with a concluding paragraph.
Writing Your Introduction
Keep in mind these two goals as you write your
introduction:
1. Clearly state your main point or thesis
statement.
As you write the body paragraphs, you can
refer to your introduction to make sure your
evidence supports the thesis.
2. Present your plan to support your main point.
For example, if you are going to refer to three
points of evidence from the passage(s), briefly
mention them in the introduction. This will
give your essay some structure—helpful for
your readers, because they will know what to
expect, and helpful for you, because you will
have a built-in guide as you write the rest of the
piece.
It’s also a good way to make sure up front
that you will be able to defend your argument
with evidence. If you can’t find evidence to
support your claim, then you need to rethink
your thesis statement.
Problems to Avoid in Introductions
1. Don’t mention how you plan to write your
essay. Your position and supporting evidence
should speak for themselves.
Incorrect: I am going to tell you why students in
public schools should wear uniforms. I will pre-
sent the best argument for this position that
shows why this is a good thing to do. I will also
explain why the information against school uni-
forms does not present a good argument.
Correct: There are many benefits that result from
mandating student uniforms in public schools.
These benefits include an overall lower cost, the
sense of school harmony they promote, and the
respect that is associated with them. Evidence from
school administrators, students, and parents sup-
ports these advantages, which outweigh the nega-
tives of mandating school uniforms.
2. Don’t use meaningless or empty words to
sound clever or repeat the same point using
synonyms. Consider the following example:
School uniforms are critical to student suc-
cess. They are essential for helping students
accomplish their best in school. Uniforms
play a significant role in helping students
have a positive experience in school.
These three sentences all say the same thing!

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3. Don’t make excuses for your writing. You
want to convey a clear, confident position to
the reader. Don’t start your essay with some-
thing like the following:
Although I’m not familiar with the debate over
school uniforms, I think I would probably say
that it’s a good idea for students to wear them.
Building Your Argument
To write the body of your essay, you will need to pro-
vide support for your claim or thesis statement.
Return to your notes to see what evidence you high-
lighted as you read the passage(s). On the extended
response, it is okay to use evidence from your per-
sonal experiences, but much of the essay should be
based on evidence found in the reading passage(s)
and on your analysis of this evidence.
If the writer of the passage makes his or her own
argument, you should also include an analysis of the
author’s argument, or arguments, in your essay. To
earn the highest score possible, you should discuss
whether you think the writer is making a good case,
and why or why not.
NOTE
Don’t try to argue a claim if you can’t fully
support it. If you cannot find enough evi-
dence from the passage(s) to back up your
thesis, then you will have to develop a new
one.
A good way to arrange your evidence is in the order
of strength: start with the weakest evidence and end
with the strongest. In addition to listing details that
support your thesis, you should also list details that
go against your thesis and then talk about why you
disagree with them. Arguments like this help
strengthen your point.
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After you have grouped your supporting evi-
dence using the erasable whiteboard, you will be
ready to construct a simple outline to draft your essay.
Constructing a Draft
One method of constructing a draft, or the first ver-
sion of your essay, is to create a simple outline. You
can do this on the computer in the space provided for
the essay and then erase it after you finish writing the
essay. You might also want to create the outline on
your personal whiteboard, which has the advantage
of saving space on the computer screen.
Begin by thinking about your thesis. Decide the
stance you want to take, and write your thoughts into
one complete sentence. For example, what thesis
statement would you make for an essay about the
school uniform passage?
Every extended response essay should follow
this basic structure:
1. Introduction (states thesis)
2. Body (explains and supports thesis with evi-
dence from the passage and your insights)
3. Conclusion (brings closure and restates thesis)
Here is an example, using the passage about school
uniforms:
Thesis statement: There are many benefits that
result from mandating student uniforms in
public schools.
Body paragraph(s): Make sure these include
evidence from the text, not only your
opinion:
1. Decrease in negative behavior
Evidence from the passage: School admin-
istrators report a reduction in fighting, tardiness,
and other discipline problems.
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2. Increase in learning
Evidence from the passage: School admin-
istrators and parents report a better focus on
learning because students are not distracted by
the pressure to fit in.
3. Professional, respectful atmosphere at school
Evidence from the passage: Schools report
an increase in school pride and commitment to
school.
Conclusion: Evidence from school administrators and
other experts supports these advantages, which out-
weigh the negatives of mandating school uniforms.
Sometimes three paragraphs—an introductory
paragraph, a body paragraph, and a concluding para-
graph—are enough to make your point, but you may
need more (usually extra body paragraphs).
NOTE
For an essay to be effective, each para-
graph must be effective, too. This means
that each paragraph must be well devel-
oped. Each paragraph should have a mini-
mum of three sentences, but it’s usually
necessary to write five to eight sentences to
explain your thoughts adequately.
Once you have a clear, detailed outline, you can begin
to write your essay. As noted earlier, your introduc-
tion should include your claim or thesis statement.
Here is an example of an introductory paragraph:
There are many benefits that result from mandat-
ing student uniforms in public schools. These
benefits include an overall lower cost, the sense of
school harmony they promote, and the respect
that is associated with them. Evidence from
school administrators, students, and parents
supports these advantages, which outweigh the
negatives of mandating school uniforms.
After you have composed your introduction, write
the body of the essay to support your claim, and then
add a conclusion paragraph that makes a final com-
ment and restates your thesis.
WARNING!
You cannot copy and paste exact text from
the passage(s) into the body of your essay
without using quotation marks. If you do
make this mistake, your essay will receive a
score of 0! You are required either to include
quotation marks or to paraphrase the points
(put what the author says into your own
words).
Example of an
Extended Response Essay
Now take a look at this great example of a high-scor-
ing essay, which follows the structure we’ve discussed.
The writer is responding to the prompt for the school
uniform passage.
PROMPT
In the following article, the pros and cons of
wearing school uniforms are discussed. In
your response, analyze both positions to
determine which view is better supported.
Use relevant and specific evidence from the
passage to support your response.
Type your response in the box; you will
have approimately 45 minutes to complete
it.
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Pros and Cons of School Uniforms

There are many benefits that result from mandating student uniforms in public schools. These
benefits include an overall lower cost, the sense of harmony they promote, and the respect that is
associated with them. Evidence from school administrators, students, and parents supports these
advantages, which outweigh the negatives of mandating school uniforms.
As noted in the article by Grace Chen, evidence from schools in California and elsewhere
revealed that when students were required to wear uniforms, there was a significant drop in nega-
tive behaviors on campus. For example, one school district reported that after one year of stu-
dents wearing uniforms, the number of fights and muggings went down by 50%. The publication
School Administrator had similar findings: when students wore uniforms, there was a decrease in
tardiness, skipping school, and even suspensions.
School administrators and parents also report that when students are not focused on how
they look or succumbing to pressure from their classmates to dress in a certain way, more atten-
tion can be paid to the task of learning in the school environment. While Chen cites the opinion
that uniforms repress individual style, students have opportunities to express their style outside
the school setting. Opponents also claim that there could be a greater financial cost to families if
uniforms are required; however, in my experience, this is a weak argument. For example, in my
school district, there is financial aid available to every family in need to help with the cost of uni-
forms, and in some schools, uniforms are free to qualifying families.
In addition, Chen notes that uniforms create “a more professional tone . . . in school,” saying
that this practice encourages students to take pride in their school and creates a sense of com-
munity. These are skills that young people need in adulthood whether they go on to college or
enter the workforce. If wearing school uniforms helps students at a young age to increase their
awareness of some of the things that are important for college and career readiness, then this is
something school districts need to consider. A young person’s ability to transition successfully to
adulthood requires far more than attentiveness to his or her individual style. Many workplaces
have employee dress codes, and those who do not follow the company policy for appropriate
dress may face termination. Therefore, school uniforms may actually help young people develop
the mind-set they need to be effective team players in the workplace.
Although some students may complain about the requirement of school uniforms, the evi-
dence presented in this article strongly suggests that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
Chen notes that school officials have data that prove the positive effects of uniforms: fewer behav-
ior problems, an increase in school pride, and greater attention to learning. Based on this evi-
dence, more districts should consider implementing uniforms in their schools.

Notice that the fourth paragraph includes a phrase
from the passage, and it’s correctly enclosed by quo-
tation marks. What are the three dots in the quote?
They are an ellipsis, which indicates that the essay
writer removed one or more words from the original
phrase. The original line in the passage is a more pro-
fessional tone is set in school. This doesn’t work gram-
matically in the sentence in the essay, so the essay
writer removed is set and replaced those two words
with an ellipsis.

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Essay Outline Support #1:

A complete essay outline will look something like this: beautiful hair

Support #2:
Introduction:
holding flowers
What if you could live one day of your life over
again? Some people might choose to relive a Support #3:
day to change something about their lives. wearing my grandmother’s dress
Others might simply want a second chance to
Body Paragraph #3 (Topic Sentence):
enjoy a great experience.
The best thing about my wedding day was
Thesis statement: seeing my family happy together.
As for me, if I could do one thing in my life
Support #1:
again, I would relive my wedding day.
mom’s and dad’s family there
Body Paragraph #1 (Topic Sentence):
Support #2:
The weather was perfect on my wedding day.
no fighting
Support #1:
Support #3:
perfect temperature
everyone laughing
Support #2:
Conclusion:
no rain
Beautiful weather, a fairytale setting, my
Body Paragraph #2 (Topic Sentence): happy family; for one day of my life,
I felt like a princess that day. everything was perfect. Though I know I will
never have the chance, I would love to
experience my wedding day again.

That’s it for planning. Now you know what your essay is going to be about, what the topic sentences of your
body paragraphs are going to be, and what support you’re going to use to back them up. You’re now ready to
move on to the next step: writing the essay.
Using the following outline form as a guide, create an outline for the essay topic you’ve been working on
about your favorite object.

Introduction:

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Thesis Statement:

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Body Paragraph #1—Topic Sentence:

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Support #1:

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Support #1:

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Conclusion:

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Writing aisle, I carried a bouquet of daisies, just as I

Once you’ve thoroughly planned your essay, writing it
should be a relatively simple process of expanding on
what you’ve already written in your outline. As men-
tioned in previous sections, you’ll want to begin your
introduction with a few sentences to catch the reader’s
attention and lead into the thesis statement. Each
body paragraph will start with the topic sentence
you’ve already written and continue with the support
you’ve noted to explain and develop the main idea.
Finally, the conclusion will bring the essay to an end,
restating the thesis and giving the reader a sense of
closure.
A sample essay based on the outline in the previ-
ous section might look like this:
What if you could live one day of your life
over again? Some people might choose to
relive a day to change something about their
lives. Others might simply want a second
chance to enjoy a great experience. As for me,
if I could do one thing in my life again, I
would relive my wedding day.
The weather was perfect on my wed-
ding day. Although it was supposed to rain
that day, it didn’t. The sun was shining, and
the temperature was perfect. I could tell from
the start that it was going to be a great day.
I felt like a princess that day. My hair
was styled beautifully. As I walked down the
had always imagined princesses doing as a
little girl. I was even wearing my grand-
mother’s wedding dress, which had a long,
old-fashioned train, just as I imagine royalty
must wear.
The best thing about my wedding day
was seeing my family happy together. My
parents are divorced, but both my mom’s and
my dad’s families came to the wedding. For
the first time in my life, they didn’t fight.
They were all laughing together and having
a good time.
Beautiful weather, a fairytale setting,
my happy family; for one day of my life,
everything was perfect. Though I know I will
never have the chance, I would love to expe-
rience my wedding day again.
Now it’s your turn. Write an essay on your favor-
ite object, using all the tools and strategies covered
thus far. The prompt is reprinted below for your con-
venience.
What is your favorite thing? Whether it is a gift
you were given during your childhood or some-
thing you saved up for years to buy, you probably
have something that is special to you. Write about
this special object and why it is important to you.

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Revising an Essay
Good planning can save you a lot of time, both in
writing and in revising your essay. Ideally, you should
not have to make any major revisions like adding sen-
tences or moving paragraphs around. However, it is a
good idea to take the last few minutes before your time
is up to read over your essay and check for proper
grammar, punctuation, and word choice. Here are a
few things to look out for:
n Capitalization. Make sure the first word of every
sentence and all proper nouns are capitalized.
n Punctuation. Make sure you’ve ended each sen-
tence with a period or a question mark, as appro-
priate. Also check to see that you haven’t thrown
in any unnecessary punctuation, like commas or
apostrophes.
n Spelling. Double-check homonyms like to/too,
its/it’s, your/you’re, and there/their/they’re. It’s easy
to make mistakes with them when you’re in a
hurry.
n Repetition. If you see a word, a phrase, or an idea
that has been repeated, draw a single line through
the second usage.
n Unrelated information. If you come across a sen-
tence that has nothing to do with the rest of your
essay, draw a line through it.
n Clarity. If something in your essay doesn’t make
sense to you, it probably won’t make sense to any-
one else, either. Take a moment to figure out what
you were trying to say and rewrite it.
If you’ve spent enough time in the planning
phase and followed your outline well, you should need
no more than five minutes to complete your revisions.
When time is up, you should feel confident that you
are handing in a complete and well-written essay.
Sample Extended
Response Question
Read the following pair of speech excerpts, consider
the prompt, and take a look at the sample essay
provided.
Excerpt from President George W. Bush’s Speech on
Global Climate Change, June 11, 2001
Our country, the United States, is the world’s
largest emitter of man-made greenhouse gases.
We account for almost 20 percent of the
world’s man-made greenhouse emissions. We
also account for about one-quarter of the
world’s economic output. We recognize the
responsibility to reduce our emissions. We also
recognize the other part of the story—that the
rest of the world emits 80 percent of all
greenhouse gases. And many of those emissions
come from developing countries.
This is a challenge that requires a 100 percent
effort; ours, and the rest of the world’s. The
world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse
gases is China. Yet, China was entirely
exempted from the requirements of the Kyoto
Protocol.
India and Germany are among the top
emitters. Yet, India was also exempt from
Kyoto. These and other developing countries
that are experiencing rapid growth face
challenges in reducing their emissions without
harming their economies. We want to work
cooperatively with these countries in their
efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions and
maintain economic growth.
Kyoto also failed to address two major
pollutants that have an impact on warming:
black soot and tropospheric ozone. Both are
proven health hazards. Reducing both would
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not only address climate change, but also
dramatically improve people’s health.
Kyoto is, in many ways, unrealistic. Many
countries cannot meet their Kyoto targets. The
targets themselves were arbitrary and not
based upon science. For America, complying
with those mandates would have a negative
economic impact, with layoffs of workers and
price increases for consumers. And when you
evaluate all these flaws, most reasonable
people will understand that it’s not sound
public policy.
Excerpt from President Barack Obama’s speech on
climate change at Georgetown University, June 25,
2013
In my State of the Union address, I urged
Congress to come up with a bipartisan,
market-based solution to climate change, like
the one that Republican and Democratic
senators worked on together a few years ago.
And I still want to see that happen. I’m willing
to work with anyone to make that happen.
But this is a challenge that does not pause for
partisan gridlock. It demands our attention
now. And this is my plan to meet it—a plan to
cut carbon pollution; a plan to protect our
country from the impacts of climate change;
and a plan to lead the world in a coordinated
assault on a changing climate. . . .
Now, what you’ll hear from the special
interests and their allies in Congress is that this
will kill jobs and crush the economy, and
basically end American free enterprise as we
know it. And the reason I know you’ll hear
those things is because that’s what they said
every time America sets clear rules and better
standards for our air and our water and our
children’s health. And every time, they’ve been
wrong.
190
For example, in 1970, when we decided
through the Clean Air Act to do something
about the smog that was choking our cities—
and, by the way, most young people here aren’t
old enough to remember what it was like, but
when I was going to school in 1979–1980 in
Los Angeles, there were days where folks
couldn’t go outside. And the sunsets were
spectacular because of all the pollution in the
air.
But at the time when we passed the Clean Air
Act to try to get rid of some of this smog, some
of the same doomsayers were saying new
pollution standards will decimate the auto
industry. Guess what—it didn’t happen. Our
air got cleaner.
In 1990, when we decided to do something
about acid rain, they said our electricity bills
would go up, the lights would go off, businesses
around the country would suffer—I quote—“a
quiet death.” None of it happened, except we
cut acid rain dramatically.
See, the problem with all these tired excuses for
inaction is that it suggests a fundamental lack
of faith in American business and American
ingenuity. These critics seem to think that
when we ask our businesses to innovate and
reduce pollution and lead, they can’t or they
won’t do it. They’ll just kind of give up and
quit. But in America, we know that’s not true.
Look at our history.
Prompt
These two passages present different arguments
regarding the issue of reducing greenhouse gas emis-
sions. In your response, analyze both positions to
determine which one is better supported. Use rele-
vant and specific evidence from the passages to sup-
port your response.
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Sample Response
These passages offer two significantly different views on
how the United States should address its problem of
greenhouse gas emissions. Both speakers concede that
the United States is responsible for significant green-
house gas emissions, and both speakers acknowledge the
need for reducing these emissions. However, each
speaker adopts a different attitude regarding imple-
mentation of such policies.
In this excerpt from President Bush’s speech, he
emphasizes the importance of an international, cooper-
ative effort to deal with the problem. He does state that
the United States generates one-fifth of the world’s
greenhouse gases. However, he quickly follows this
information by stating that the United States is respon-
sible for one-quarter of all economic activity, and then
points out that four-fifths of the world’s greenhouse
gases are generated by other nations. By doing so, he
attempts to explain the reason for high U.S. greenhouse
emissions while also shifting the focus to other nations.
Indeed, he goes on to point out how China and India
are exempt from restricting greenhouse gas emissions,
even though they are among the top greenhouse gas
emitters.
Another key argument in Bush’s speech empha-
sizes the economic perils of forcing drastic reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions. Bush argues that to do so
would devastate the U.S. economy, causing massive job
layoffs and raising the cost of consumer goods. This
argument also serves as the focal point in the excerpt
from President Obama’s speech. However, Obama
refutes the claim that greenhouse gas restrictions will
harm the economy. To support his position, Obama
offers several historical examples where similar claims
were made when businesses faced government-imposed
restrictions. In each of those cases, the dire predictions
of economic harm proved to be unfounded.
In essence, Bush’s speech emphasizes fair play
among all nations to ensure that the United States is
not being held responsible for more than its share of the
problem. Obama’s speech emphasizes leadership by
example, noting that the United States has successfully
dealt with similar issues in the past. Of the two, I find
Obama’s position to be better supported through his use
of historical examples. I also find his statement of lead-
ership through action more compelling than Bush’s call
for fairness and cooperation.
Also note that the writing style is formal and
that the word choice is precise in order to convey spe-
cific ideas.
Practice Essay
This practice allows you to compose your response to
the given task and then compare it with examples of
responses at the different score levels. You will also get
a scoring guide that includes a detailed explanation of
how official GED® test graders will score your
response. You may use this scoring guide to score
your own response.
Before you begin, it is important to note that on
the official test this task must be completed in no
more than 45 minutes. But don’t rush to complete
your response; take time to carefully read the
passage(s) and the question prompt. Then think
about how you would like to respond.
As you write your essay, be sure to:
n Decide which position presented in the passages
is better supported by evidence.
n Explain why your chosen position has better
support.
n Recognize that the position with better support
may not be the position you agree with.
n Present multiple pieces of evidence from the pas-
sage to defend your assertions.
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n Thoroughly construct your main points, organiz-
ing them logically, with strong supporting details.
n Connect your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas
with transitional words and phrases.
n Express your ideas clearly and choose your words
carefully.
n Use varied sentence structures to increase the
clarity of your response.
n Reread and revise your response.
Good luck!

Please use the following to answer the essay question.

An Analysis of Nuclear Energy

1 America runs on energy. As a matter of fact, the United States is the second largest energy con-
sumer in the world, behind China. In recent years, it can be argued that we need to ease our
dependence on foreign countries that supply us with oil and develop energy at home. But where
can we get the energy we need?

Benefits of Nuclear Energy

2 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) promotes the development of safe, domestic nuclear
power, and there are many who support the idea that nuclear power is the answer. Compared to
fossil fuels such as gas, coal, and oil, nuclear energy is the most efficient way to make electricity.
For example, the Idaho National Laboratory reports that “one uranium fuel pellet—roughly the
size of the tip of an adult’s little finger—contains the same amount of energy as 17,000 cubic feet
of natural gas, 1,780 pounds of coal, or 149 gallons of oil.”

3 Supporters of nuclear energy cite that nuclear generators don’t create great amounts of poison-
ous carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide like the burning of fossil fuels does. The
DOE reports that a nuclear generator produces 30 tons of spent fuel a year compared to the
300,000 tons of coal ash produced by a coal-powered electrical plant.

4 In terms of safety, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ensures that each and every nuclear reac-
tor maintains strict safety standards. Radioactive waste is contained deep underground behind
steel-reinforced, 1.2-meter-thick concrete walls. The DOE also points out that “ash from burning
coal at a power plant emits 100 times more radiation into the surrounding environment than a
nuclear power plant.”
(continues)

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Arguments against Nuclear Energy

5 Opponents of nuclear energy argue that nuclear reactors endanger all life on Earth for three basic
reasons. First, nuclear radioactivity is deadly and must be contained for thousands of years. Sec-
ond, no matter how many safety measures are in place, accidents happen, and nuclear meltdowns
are global environmental catastrophes. Finally, nuclear fuel used to generate electricity can also
be used to build atomic bombs.

6 Nuclear generators use radioactive plutonium and uranium for fuel. Scientists say that exposure
to a millionth of an ounce of plutonium causes cancer. Even nuclear energy proponents agree that
life-threatening nuclear waste must be contained for half a million years before it becomes safe
to be around. Radioactive dumps last generations.

7 Opponents of nuclear energy also cite the ever-present threat of meltdowns. Widespread radio-
active contamination and death caused by the nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl,
and Fukushima are cautionary lessons. Researchers disagree on how possible it is to safely contain
radioactivity, but it’s undeniable that nuclear meltdown causes widespread contamination of the
air, water, and land with deadly radioactivity. It is also verifiable that nuclear accidents have
caused environmental catastrophes that continue to this day.

8 Perhaps even more disturbing than the threat of toxic waste and meltdown is the use of uranium for
sinister purposes. On December 7, 2013, Reuters reported that “. . . in news that may concern world
powers . . . Iran is moving ahead with testing more efficient uranium enrichment technology. . . .”
Indeed, the United Nations and the entire world are worried about Iran’s enhancement of uranium
for use in nuclear power plants because the same enhanced uranium can be used to build atomic
weaponry.

9 Opponents argue that in the same way we learned that fossil fuels are limited and destroy the
environment, so must we learn from nuclear disasters. Opponents say the answer is to develop
safe, clean, and renewable sources of alternative energy, such as solar, wind, tidal, and geother-
mal power. Why gamble? The future of the world is at stake.

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PROMPT:
Nuclear energy proponents argue that it is safe and efficient, while opponents make the case for alternative
energy sources, citing the deadly consequences of nuclear disaster.
In your response, analyze both positions presented in the article to determine which one is better sup-
ported. Use relevant and specific evidence from both articles to support your response.
You should expect to spend up to 45 minutes planning, drafting, and editing your response.

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The Final Steps
The sample essay you just read is the final, submitted
version of the essay. When you write your essay, you
will probably need to revise your first draft before
you get to this stage. You’ll want to read it over care-
fully and make changes to improve it. Focus on
improving the text (what you say) and style (how you
say it), as well as fixing grammar and language errors
that you may not have noticed when you were
writing.
Evaluating Your Work
Use this checklist to help you evaluate your first draft
to make revisions. Your response should:
n Introduce a clear point of view, distinguishing it
from an opposing point of view as necessary.
n Develop the point of view and an opposing point
of view fairly, give evidence for each, and point
out the strengths and weaknesses of both.
n Provide a conclusion that supports the argument
presented.
n Follow the rules of standard written English.
Managing Your Time
You will have 45 minutes to complete your extended
response for the GED® RLA test. This requires careful
planning and time management to read the passage(s)
and then write your essay.
In general, you should organize your time by
spending:
10–12 minutes reading the passage(s) and
establishing your thesis
20–25 minutes creating a quick outline and
writing your response
10–15 minutes reviewing and revising your
response
When you respond to a practice essay prompt, set a
timer to make sure that you are on track.
Quiz
Now that you know what’s involved in writing an
effective essay, use what you’ve learned to answer the
following questions.
1. What is the purpose of a prompt?
a. to help the student start writing about the
topic
b. to state the main idea of the essay
c. to provide support for the main idea
d. to suggest a possible conclusion
2. Which of the following states the main idea of
an essay?
a. thesis statement
b. transition
c. topic sentence
d. introduction
3. Which of the following sentences would be a
good thesis statement?
a. My favorite object is my grandfather’s old
leather bag.
b. This is an essay about my favorite object.
c. The bag is made of leather.
d. My grandfather’s leather bag
4. Why is it helpful to brainstorm when writing?
a. It helps give you ideas of what to write
about.
b. It takes up time.
c. It helps you write the thesis statement.
d. It puts your ideas in order.
5. What is the purpose of creating an outline?
a. to organize your ideas
b. to take up time
c. to practice your spelling
d. to make revision unnecessary
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6. Which of the following should always state the 11. Practice proofreading this paragraph:
main idea of a paragraph? My best friend Janet and me decide that we
a. topic sentence would bake brownis to take to the picnic that
b. transition our Algebra Club was planning for Friday
c. thesis statement afternoon. We look up a recipe online, and we
d. introduction checked to see if either of us had all the ingre-
dients we needed. Sure enough, everything was
7. How many main ideas should a paragraph their and ready at Janet’s house. Then we
have? stopped by the store at lunch to get extra cute
a. one paper napkins and plates, and then we got dis-
b. two tract looking at magazines and nail polish in
c. three the drug store next door. Suddenly the time
d. no fewer than two was late, the cookies never got made we were in
a hurry to get back to work. I guess cookies
8. Which of the following is a purpose of were just not meant to be.
supporting sentences?
a. to provide examples Practice Essay Prompts
b. to state the main idea 12. Read the following writing prompt and write an
c. to restate the thesis essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
d. to give the reader a sense of closure review and edit your work.
Many parents give children a weekly or
9. Which of the following should a good monthly allowance regardless of their behavior
conclusion do? because they believe an allowance teaches chil-
a. state a new idea dren to be financially responsible. Other par-
b. end with a question ents only give children an allowance as a
c. use specific examples reward for completing chores or when they
d. leave the reader with a sense of closure have behaved properly. Explain what you think
parents should do and why.
10. What is the purpose of revising when writing?
a. to move paragraphs 13. Read the following writing prompt and write an
b. to rewrite the essay essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
c. to restate the thesis review and edit your work.
d. to correct minor errors More and more farmers and food manufactur-
ers are genetically modifying their crops to
reduce susceptibility to disease, improve flavor,
and reduce costs. Do you think genetically
modifying foods is a good idea? Why or why
not? Use specific reasons and examples to sup-
port your position.

196
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14. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Good habits improve our physical, emotional,
and/or financial health. Select one of your
good habits and write an essay persuading
readers to make that habit a part of their lives.
15. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Some people think of the United States as a
nation of “couch potatoes.” Write an essay per-
suading readers to be more physically active.
16. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Today’s top professional athletes often have sal-
aries and bonuses in the tens of millions of
dollars. Do you think these athletes deserve
such high compensation? Why or why not?
Explain your position and use specific reasons
and examples.
17. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Is reading fiction a waste of time? Why or why
not? Explain your answer using specific reasons
and examples to support your position.
18. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Many people feel that the use of surveillance
cameras in public places, such as parking lots,
is a good idea that can help ensure our safety.
Others worry that too many cameras violate
our right to privacy and give law enforcement
officials too much power. In your opinion,
should we install more surveillance cameras in
public places? Why or why not? Support your
position with specific reasons and examples.
19. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Alexander Smith said, “The great man is the
man who does a thing for the first time.” Do
you agree with this definition of greatness?
Why or why not? Support your position with
specific reasons and examples.
20. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
Should people lease or buy new cars? Make a
case for the option that you think is better. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your
position.
21. Read the following writing prompt and write an
essay that appropriately addresses it. Be sure to
review and edit your work.
The inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin
said, “Money never made a man happy yet, nor
will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce
happiness.” Do you agree with this statement?
Why or why not? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your position.
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Answers and Explanations
1. a. The prompt is meant to get you started
thinking about the topic of your writing. As
you write, your essay will address the prompt
using details and support.
2. a. The thesis statement tells the main idea of the
entire essay. Each paragraph contains a topic
sentence that states the main idea of that
paragraph.
3. a. The thesis statement should be a complete
sentence that answers the question stated in
the prompt.
4. a. Brainstorming helps you get all your ideas
down on paper. After you brainstorm, you
can choose which ideas to include and put
these ideas in proper order.
5. a. An outline helps you organize your ideas and
decide which will be the main ideas and
which will be supporting details.
6. a. The topic sentence tells what the paragraph
will be about. The rest of the sentences sup-
port the topic sentence.
7. a. Each paragraph should have one main idea.
All of the sentences in the paragraph should
explain or support that idea.
8. a. Supporting sentences help explain the main
idea by providing examples and additional
information.
9. d. The conclusion restates the main idea, wraps
up the essay, and provides a sense of closure
for the reader.
10. d. Revising is the step in which you correct
errors in spelling, capitalization, and gram-
mar. This is also the time to remove unrelated
or unnecessary information, and clarify ideas
as needed.
198
11. Corrected version:
Some errors were technical, like replacing “me”
with “I” and making sure the tense of each verb
matched (“decided,” “stopped,” “looked,”). Others
were errors of consistency or clarity.
My best friend Janet and me I decided that we
would bake brownis brownies to take to the
picnic that our Algebra Club was planning for
Friday afternoon. We looked up a recipe online,
and we checked to see if either of us had all the
ingredients we needed. Sure enough, everything
was their there and ready at Janet’s house. Then
We stopped by the store at lunch to get extra
cute paper napkins and plates, and but then we
got distracted looking at magazines and nail
polish in the drug store next door. Suddenly the
time was late, the cookies brownies never got
made, and we were in a hurry to get back to
work school. I guess cookies brownies were just
not meant to be.
12. Sample Response
Starting when I was about eight years old, my
parents gave me a list of chores that had to be
completed each week. If I did my chores, I got
an allowance, a bit of change that I could use as
I pleased. If I didn’t do my chores, I didn’t get
my allowance. There was no other punishment,
but no other punishment was necessary. That
dollar or two a week was all the incentive I
needed to help out around the house. Whether
it was the latest Barbie or a six-pack of Hubba
Bubba chewing gum, there was always some-
thing I wanted to buy. My parents could always
count on me doing my chores.
I think that giving children an allowance
for doing chores is a smart parenting move, for
it accomplishes four important goals: It helps
ensure that important work gets done around
the house; it teaches children that they need to
do their part to make things run smoothly for
the whole family; it rewards children in a
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realistic, practical way for good behavior; and it
helps teach children how to handle money.
I know that some people consider money
for chores a form of bribery, and others feel that
children should just do their chores anyway,
without the incentive of an allowance. They
argue that giving kids money for doing chores
undermines the lesson that they need to help
the family and do their part. I can understand
that point of view, and when parents give their
children too much money, it does undermine
those lessons. But when the allowance is small,
it is simply a modern version of the age-old
practice of rewarding good behavior. Once chil-
dren reach a certain age, money is an appropri-
ate and effective reward that helps them learn
how to be responsible and how to manage
money. They get a sense of what things are
worth and how much they have to save and
spend to get what they want. And learning to
save in order to purchase a desired item teaches
them patience and helps children better under-
stand the value of hard work.
Giving children money for doing chores is
also a good introduction to the reality of the
workplace. If they do the work, they get paid; if
they don’t do the work, they don’t. Extra work
can be rewarded with bonuses and extra praise;
poor work may result in a pay cut or demotion.
It’s important for parents to find the right
amount to give. Too much money may make a
child feel like hired help and will undermine the
goal of teaching children to help simply because
they are part of a family that must work
together. On the other hand, too little money
may make a child feel resentful, as if his or her
work isn’t worth anything to the household.
What’s an appropriate amount? It depends
upon the amount of chores the child is expected
to do and the child’s age. If your nine-year-old
is only expected to clean his or her room, a dol-
lar a week is probably plenty. If your
14-year-old is expected to keep his room clean,
take out the trash, water the plants, and vacuum
the house, then ten dollars a week is more
appropriate. Being paid for my chores helped
me have a good attitude about housework,
taught me how to save money and spend it
wisely, and enabled me to appreciate the hard
work my parents did around the house. I’m
really grateful that this was the way my parents
chose to handle chores in our household.
13. Sample Response
A few decades ago, manipulating genes in peo-
ple, plants, and animals was just science fiction.
Today, it’s a reality, and genetic modification
may have many positive applications in the
future, including the eradication of many
hereditary diseases. But like most scientific and
technological advances, the genetic modifica-
tion of organisms for our food supply can be as
dangerous as it is beneficial. Because of the
potential dangers of this technology, I think
genetically altering plants and animals in the
food supply is a practice that should be very
tightly controlled and carefully studied before it
is an accepted and common practice. Unfortu-
nately, it may already be too late for that.
Many people don’t even realize that many
of their foods are genetically modified organ-
isms (GMOs). GMOs are already prevalent in
supermarkets and grocery stores across the
country, but manufacturers are not required to
label foods as having been made from GMOs.
As a result, millions of Americans purchase and
eat GMOs every day without even knowing it.
Yet we don’t even know if GMOs are harmful to
our health. We don’t really know how GMOs
may affect our bodies or our ecosystem. When
we mess with DNA, we may be making changes
that have all sorts of dangerous repercussions,
including some that we may not even realize for
several generations.
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One of the main concerns about GMOs is
the unpredictability of the behavior of altered
genes and of the bacteria, plants, and animals
that interact with the altered organism. For
example, a crop of corn genetically modified to
be less susceptible to a particular insect may
take on other unwanted characteristics due to
the change. It may, for example, become more
susceptible to another disease, or it could
develop a tougher skin on its kernels, or it could
decrease the crop’s ability to produce vitamin E.
More frightening is the domino effect of
genetically modifying foods. Any change in an
organism’s DNA has the potential to affect not
only the organism but also anything that feeds
off of it, including us. How do we know how
GMOs might affect us on a microscopic, genetic
level? We don’t know, and can’t know, without
years of studies that track all sorts of potential
outcomes over several generations.
Another fear is that transferred genes may
escape from one organism into another. For
example, imagine that Strain A of sweet peas
was altered by adding a gene that would
increase its sugar production. Through cross-
pollination, this altered genetic code could enter
other strains and slowly (or quickly) infect the
entire subspecies. If the alteration was benefi-
cial, this could be a good thing. But the altered
gene might not act the same way in all varieties,
and the change may not be a good thing in the
first place, and/or it may have unintended
consequences.
Genetically modifying foods is a practice
that has been driven by the desire to make more
food available more quickly and more cheaply
than ever before. This attitude puts profit first
and consumers and the environment last, and
that is simply dangerous. The agribusiness
needs to slow down and stop selling us GMOs
until their safety is certain.
200
14. Sample Response
When I was 15, I wanted to get a job so I could
buy a car when I turned 16. My father sat me
down at the kitchen table and said, “Excellent.
But only on one condition: 10% of every pay-
check must go into a savings account. And you
cannot touch that money except in an
emergency.”
“But Dad,” I argued, “if I have to put 10%
away, how will I ever save enough money to buy
a car?”
“You’ll have enough,” he replied. “And
you’ll soon see how important it is to set money
aside for savings.”
I didn’t believe him at the time, and in fact
I often resented having to put that 10% into a
separate account. But two years later when the
transmission on my car blew, I didn’t have to
fret about coming up with the money for
repairs. I was able to cover the cost easily and
was back on the road in no time. It was then
that I began to see the wisdom of my father’s
rule, which I adopted as my own. This habit has
helped to give me a secure financial life, and I
urge you to make this practice part of your life.
Ten percent of each paycheck may sound
like a lot, and if you’re on a tight budget to
begin with, you might be thinking, “I just can’t
afford to do it.” In truth, you can’t afford not to
do it. You never know when you are going to
need an extra $100 or $1,000; life is full of sur-
prises, and lots of them are expensive.
As tight as your budget may be, it’s impor-
tant to get started right away. If you are abso-
lutely scraping by with every last penny going to
bills, then start with just 5%, but move up to
10% as soon as you can. If you earn $500 a
week, for example, put $25–$50 in your savings
account each week. At first, this may mean clip-
ping coupons, renting a movie instead of going
to the theater, or pressing your own shirts
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instead of taking them to the cleaner. Think
carefully about ways you can save just a few dol-
lars—because just a few dollars from each pay-
check is all it takes to build up a solid savings
account.
The money you save will add up quickly.
For example, if your annual salary is $40,000,
each year you would put $4,000 into your sav-
ings account. That still leaves you with $36,000
to cover all your expenses. After ten years, you
will have saved $40,000, plus interest. And the
more money in your account, the more interest
you earn, the larger your emergency fund, the
more you can afford to relax later in your life.
Once you get in the habit of putting 10%
of your money into savings, it won’t feel like a
sacrifice. The 90% that’s left will be your work-
ing budget, and you won’t even miss that 10%
because you won’t be used to spending it. Yet
you will know that it is there, ready for an
emergency, helping to keep you financially
secure. So take my father’s advice, and mine:
Put a piece of each paycheck into your savings.
It’s a habit that’s worth every penny.
15. Sample Response
Is your favorite place in the home sitting on the
couch in front of the television? Do you spend
hours and hours there each day, surrounded by
bags of chips and cans of soda? Do you panic
when you can’t find the remote control and
think that you might actually have to get up off
the sofa to change the channel?
If you answered “yes” to any of these ques-
tions, you are not alone. In fact, you are one of
the millions of Americans who are “couch pota-
toes”: people who spend their days and nights
“vegging out” in front of the “tube.”
Well, spud, it’s time to get up out of that
armchair and get some exercise!
I know how seductive television can be. I
know how easy it is to plop onto the sofa and
lose yourself in the world of sports, reality
shows, and good old make-believe. I know how
mesmerizing MTV and other channels can be
and how hard it can be to pull yourself away.
But all that television spells disaster for your
body because it needs to be active to be healthy.
And it’s no good for your mental health or
social life, either.
Think about what all that time in front of
the television is doing to your body. Think
about what all that sagging muscle and growing
belly is doing to your life. Think about how
your lack of energy affects you at work.
Now think about how different things
would be if you spent some of that TV time get-
ting exercise instead: You would feel better dur-
ing the day. You would sleep better at night. You
would have more energy. You would look better.
You would have more confidence. You would be
more creative. You would be healthier and hap-
pier. And you would not even miss the
television.
What sort of exercise can you do? Any-
thing! Go for a walk. Ride a bike. Jog. Lift
weights. Take an aerobics class. Do yoga. Join a
basketball or hockey league. Swim. Rollerblade.
Grab a friend, a fellow couch potato, and exer-
cise together.
You can start with just 15 minutes a day,
two or three days a week, and build up slowly.
Before you know it, your couch potato days will
be over, and you will wonder how on earth you
ever spent so much time in front of the TV.
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16. Sample Response
Why do top athletes earn such inflated salaries?
Because they bring big bucks into their cities
and franchises. But what sort of service do they
provide to society? Do they save lives? No. Do
they improve the standard of living or promote
positive social change? No. Do they help keep
our streets safe or educate our kids? No. True,
many of the top athletes are good role models
for our children. But seven-figure salaries don’t
always mean model behavior.
It is true that professional athletes work
hard, and many have spent their lives pursuing
their goals. It is also true that most professional
athletes have a relatively short career span—a
decade perhaps at the top of their game.
Limited as their professional sporting
career may be, they don’t deserve such high sal-
aries. After their professional sports careers are
over, they can certainly pursue other careers
and work “regular” jobs like the rest of us.
Ending their stint as professional athletes
doesn’t mean they have to stop earning
incomes. They just have to earn incomes in a
different way. Why should they be any different
from the rest of us who may need to switch
careers?
It is also true that professional athletes
may be injured while on the job; their work is
indeed physical, and especially in contact sports
like football, injuries are bound to happen. But,
like the rest of us, they have insurance, and in
nearly all cases, their exorbitant salaries more
than cover their medical costs. And theirs is not
the only high-risk job. What about miners, con-
struction workers, or firefighters? They are at
risk for physical injury every day, too—injuries
that could likewise end their careers. But they
sure aren’t earning millions of dollars a year.
It is also true that professional athletes
may spend years and years practicing with farm
teams for a fraction of the salary they receive
202
once they make it to the top. But in every career
path, we start off with lower wages and must
pay our dues and work our way up. Besides,
farm team salaries are not always so low.
We’re a sports-crazy country, a nation of
fanatic sports fans and celebrity worshippers.
We’re awed and entertained by the best of them,
but as much as they may inspire and amuse us,
professional athletes do not deserve such high
salaries. Those millions could be much more
wisely spent.
17. Sample Response
Remember the last book that captured your
imagination, that transported you to another
place and time? Remember a book that made
you fall in love with its characters, made you
feel their pain and joy? Remember a story that
taught you an important lesson, that helped
you better understand others and make sense of
the human condition? If so, then you can
understand why the question “Is reading fiction
a waste of time?” is such a silly question.
Fiction, unlike a user manual, a magazine
article, or a newspaper editorial, probably won’t
offer you any practical knowledge that you can
put to immediate use. It won’t inform you of
current events or give you advice on how to cul-
tivate a better garden. It probably won’t help
you decide which candidate to vote for or which
product to buy. But that certainly doesn’t mean
it’s useless or impractical. Indeed, fiction serves
three important functions for human beings: It
helps us be more compassionate to others, it
helps us better understand ourselves, and it cul-
tivates our imaginations. It can also teach us
about history, psychology, even biology and
other sciences.
Compassion for others is rooted in under-
standing and acceptance, and a good story
brings us into the inner world of its characters
so that we can understand them. In Toni Morri-
son’s novel The Bluest Eye, for example,
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Morrison peels away the layers of her charac-
ters’ histories piece by piece like an onion until
we see into their core and understand what
drives them.
They may still do awful things to each
other, but she shows us why they do the things
that they do, and we learn that we shouldn’t
judge others until we understand their pasts.
Their stories are sad and painful, and we learn
to love even the outcast Pecola. In fact, we learn
that those outcasts are the ones who need our
love the most.
Many stories and novels also help us better
understand ourselves. Joseph Conrad’s dark and
powerful novel Heart of Darkness helps us see
that all of us have a dark side and that we need
to acknowledge this dark side in order to con-
trol it. It makes us question just how civilized
we are and indeed what it means to be civilized
in the first place.
Good fiction also cultivates our imagina-
tion, which is more important to us than some
might think. Without imagination, we live a
sad, empty life. Imagination is central to our
emotional health and is a key factor in our level
of intelligence. Facts are one thing, but facts can
be of no real use unless coupled with imagina-
tion. Fiction can help us by keeping our imagi-
nation fresh and active. In a story like Franz
Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” for example, we are
asked to imagine that Gregor, the main charac-
ter, wakes up one morning and has turned into
a giant bug. Crazy? Perhaps. But once we accept
this premise and imagine Gregor as a five-foot-
long cockroach, we can feel his family’s horror
and imagine his agony as he finds himself
trapped in his room and abandoned by those he
loves.
Is reading fiction a waste of time? That’s
like asking if laughing is a waste of time. We
don’t need fiction to survive, but we do need it
to be kinder, more understanding, and more
creative human beings.
18. Sample Response
Not long ago, the nation was gripped by the
horrifying news that a baby had been stolen
from a car in a parking lot while her mother,
who was returning a shopping cart, was just a
few feet away. Thanks to the description of the
kidnapper captured by surveillance cameras in
the parking lot and broadcast over radios, tele-
vision, and highway overpass signs, the kidnap-
per was quickly caught and the baby returned,
unharmed, to her mother.
Had it not been for those surveillance
cameras, that mother would probably never
have seen her baby girl again.
I can’t think of a much better argument
for the use of surveillance cameras in public
places. That baby’s life was saved by those park-
ing lot cameras. Many people worry about the
use of surveillance cameras in public places
such as parking lots, stores, parks, and road-
ways. They don’t like the idea that they are
being watched. They worry that the informa-
tion captured on the surveillance tapes can
somehow be used against them. But how? It
seems to me that the only reason we should
worry about being caught on surveillance cam-
eras is if we are doing something wrong. If we
are behaving lawfully in a public place, then
why worry if it is captured on film?
Surveillance cameras can provide two
immensely important services. One, they can
help us find those who commit crimes, includ-
ing thieves, kidnappers, vandals, and even mur-
derers. Two, they can serve as a powerful
deterrent to crime. A thief who plans to steal a
car may think twice if he knows he will be
caught on video. A woman who hopes to kid-
nap a child may abandon her plans if she knows
she will be captured on film.
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Surveillance cameras can also help us in
less critical but nonetheless practical ways. In
some towns in England, for example, radio dee-
jays use information from surveillance cameras
to announce the availability of parking spaces
in crowded public parking lots. Problems of all
shapes and sizes can also be noted and
addressed through video surveillance. For
example, imagine a video camera installed in a
local town square. Reviewing the films, officials
might realize that people who meet in the
square move quickly into the shade of the one
tree in the center of the square. This could
move officials to plant more trees or provide
tables with umbrellas so that people could meet
and relax in the shade. Similarly, a video camera
in a grocery store might reveal that aisle 7 is
always overcrowded, prompting the manager to
rearrange items to more evenly distribute
shoppers.
Of course it’s possible to have too much of
a good thing, and if surveillance cameras cross
the line and start being installed on private
property—that is, in our offices and homes—
then we will have the “Big Brother is watching”
scenario opponents fear. If that were the case, I
would be against surveillance cameras, too. But
as long as surveillance cameras are limited to
public places, they can help ensure our safety.
19. Sample Response
Just as there are many definitions of success,
there are also many definitions of greatness.
Alexander Smith said that a great person is
someone who does a thing for the first time.
He’s right, and the list of those great people is
long and includes the likes of Neil Armstrong,
Jackie Robinson, and Thomas Edison. But
Smith’s definition isn’t broad enough to include
many other people who I believe are also great.
In my opinion, greatness can also be attained by
doing something to improve the lives of others.
204
Mother Teresa is the first person to come
to mind under this broadened definition.
Mother Teresa, who received the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1979, dedicated her life to helping the
poor, the sick, and the hungry. She left her
homeland of Yugoslavia to work with the
impoverished people of India, where she self-
lessly served others for almost 70 years. She
became a nun and founded the Missionaries of
Charity sisterhood and the House for the
Dying. She embraced those whom many in
society chose to disdain and ignore: the crip-
pled and diseased, the homeless and helpless.
She gave them food, shelter, medical care, and
the compassion that so many others denied
them. She was certainly not the first to dedicate
her life to the care of others, but she was cer-
tainly a great woman.
Another great person who also won a
Nobel Peace Prize was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a
German doctor who, like Mother Teresa, also
selflessly served the poor and sick. Schweitzer
dedicated himself to the people of Africa. There,
he built a hospital and a leper colony, a refuge
for those who had been rejected by society.
Again, he was not the first to offer care and
comfort for the sick and suffering. But he cer-
tainly was great.
Harriet Tubman is also clearly a great
woman. She led hundreds of American slaves to
freedom along the Underground Railroad, risk-
ing her life over and over again to bring her fel-
low slaves to freedom. She gave them the
greatest gift one can offer: freedom to live a bet-
ter way of life. She wasn’t the first to escape, and
she wasn’t the first to go back for others. But
she was the one who kept going back. She knew
that each time she returned for another, she was
risking her life. But like Mother Teresa and Dr.
Schweitzer, Harriet Tubman was utterly dedi-
cated to improving the lives of others.
 – T HE EX T END ED RES P O N S E E S S AY: P L A N N I N G A N D R E V I S I N G –
Greatness comes in many forms, and we
are lucky to have many examples of greatness
upon which to model our lives. Some great peo-
ple are those who were able to be the first to
accomplish something marvelous.
Others, like Mother Teresa, Albert
Schweitzer, and Harriet Tubman, are great
because they worked tirelessly to ease the suffer-
ing of their fellow human beings.
20. Sample Response
Planning to lease a car because you don’t think
you can afford to buy? Think again. Leasing can
end up being just as expensive as buying—and
you don’t even get to keep the car. Even if you
decide to buy the car at the end of your lease,
you may end up paying considerably more
money than if you’d decided to buy from the
beginning.
Most people who are thinking about leas-
ing are attracted to this option because they
believe it will cost them less money. And they’re
right—it is cheaper, but only in the short term.
For example, if you were to lease a 2002 Subaru
Forester, with $2,500 down, you might pay $250
per month for the car. If you were to buy the
same car, with $2,500 down, you would pay
closer to $350 per month. Over a three-year
lease, that’s $3,600—a big savings. But after
your lease is over, you have to give the car back.
If you want to keep driving it, either you’ll have
to put another down payment on another lease,
or, if you have the option to buy the car, you’ll
have to pay thousands of dollars to purchase the
vehicle—dollars that won’t be spread out in
more manageable monthly payments.
Many people want to lease because they
can then drive a nicer car than they might oth-
erwise be able to afford. For example, if your
monthly budget allowed you to spend $250 on
your car, you might be able to lease a brand-new
Ford Explorer. For the same price, you might
have to buy an Explorer that was two or three
years old with 50,000 miles, or buy a new but
considerably less expensive make and model. A
lease therefore allows you to drive the latest
models of more expensive cars. But when your
lease is over, you will have to return that
Explorer. Whatever car you can afford to buy,
you get to keep it, and it will always have a
resale or trade-in value if you wanted to later
upgrade to a newer car.
Furthermore, people who lease cars are
often shocked by how much they must pay
when the lease is over. Most leases limit you to a
certain number of miles, and if you go over that
allotment, you must pay for each mile. As a
result, at the end of your lease, you may end up
paying thousands of dollars in mileage fees. For
example, if your lease covers you for 25,000
miles over three years, but you drive 40,000,
that’s an extra 15,000 miles. At $.11 per mile,
that’s $1,650 you’ll have to pay. And you still
won’t have a car.
In addition, when you lease, you still have
to pay for regular maintenance and repairs to
the vehicle. Since you must return the car when
your lease expires, you are paying to repair
someone else’s car. If you own the car, however,
you know that every dollar you spend main-
taining or repairing the car is an investment in a
real piece of property—your property, not
someone else’s.
By now, the benefits of buying over leasing
should be clear. But if you’re still not convinced,
remember this fundamental fact: If you lease,
when your lease is up, after you’ve made all of
your monthly payments, paid for extra mileage,
and paid for repairs, you must give the car back.
It isn’t yours to keep, no matter how much the
lease cost you. Whatever make or model you
can afford to buy is yours to keep after you
make your payments. There’s no giving it back,
and that makes all the difference.
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 – T HE EX T END ED RES PO N S E E S S AY: P L A N N I N G A N D R E V I S I N G –
21. Sample Response
Benjamin Franklin is one of the greatest figures
in American history, and I have a great deal of
respect for this incredible inventor, politician,
and writer. But I must respectfully disagree with
his claim that “Money never made a man happy
yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to
produce happiness.” I agree that money in and
of itself does not make a person happy; but I
believe that money can help provide one thing
that is essential to happiness: good health.
While money can do nothing to change
our genetic makeup and our physiological pre-
disposition to illness and disease, it can give us
access to better healthcare throughout our lives.
This begins with prenatal care and childhood
vaccinations. In impoverished third-world
countries, infant mortality rates are three, four,
even ten times higher than in the United States,
and as many as one in four women still die in
childbirth because they do not have access to
modern medical care. Sadly, people who are too
poor to afford vaccinations and routine health-
care for their children watch helplessly as many
of those children succumb to illnesses and dis-
eases that are rarely fatal here in the United
States.
Money also enables us to afford better
doctors and see specialists throughout our lives.
If your child has difficulty hearing, for example,
and you have insurance (which costs money) or
cash, you can see a hearing specialist and pay
for therapy. If you have migraines that make
you miserable, you can see a headache specialist
and afford medication and treatment. Having
money also means being able to afford preven-
tive measures, such as taking vitamins and get-
ting regular checkups. It means being able to
afford products and services that can enhance
our health, such as gym memberships, organic
foods, and acupuncture.
206
Another important thing money can do is
enable us to live in a healthy environment.
Many of the world’s poorest people live in dirty,
dangerous places—unsanitary slums crawling
with diseases and health hazards of all sorts. In
a particularly poor area of the Bronx, for exam-
ple, children had an abnormally high rate of
asthma because their families couldn’t afford to
move away from the medical waste treatment
plant that was poisoning the air.
Money can also help us be healthy by
enabling us to afford proper heating and cool-
ing measures. This includes being able to afford
a warm winter coat and the opportunity to cool
off at a pool or in the ocean. On a more basic
level, it means being able to afford heat in the
winter and air-conditioning in the summer.
During heat waves, victims of heat stroke are
often those who are too poor to afford air-
conditioning in their apartments. In extreme
cold, the same is true: People who freeze to
death or become gravely ill from the cold are
often those who are unable to afford high heat-
ing bills.
Having money may not make people
happy, but it sure goes a long way toward keep-
ing them healthy. And as they say, if you haven’t
got your health, you haven’t got anything.
A Final Word
Whew! Throughout this book, you’ve reviewed a
number of reading comprehension strategies that will
help you do your best on the GED® Reasoning
through Language Arts test. In this chapter, you’ve
learned some tips that will help you do your best as
you put the writing strategies into practice. You are on
your way to earning an outstanding score on the test
and bringing home the ultimate prize—your GED®
test credential!
 – T HE EX T END ED RES P O N S E E S S AY: P L A N N I N G A N D R E V I S I N G –
Certainly, remembering all this information and
facing the GED® test can be intimidating, but you are
taking all the right steps toward doing your best.
Review these strategies until you are comfortable and
confident in your abilities with each. Take the practice
tests in this book and monitor your own learning. If
there are skills you need to brush up on, go back to
that section of the book and review the information.
When you find skills that you have mastered, give
yourself a pat on the back. You’ve earned it!
Keep the test-taking, prewriting, draft, and revi-
sion tips in this book in mind any time you take a test,
not just the GED® test! Read passages and answer
choices carefully, pay attention to details, take time to
plan out your writing, proofread thoroughly, and
select the best answer choice for multiple-choice ques-
tions. These are all great ways to succeed in test taking.
And don’t sweat it when you come across a question
that seems tough or a prompt you have no idea how to
answer. It happens to everyone, no matter how you
prepare. Remember to map out your short answers
and essay responses, to brainstorm or outline, and to
revise thoughtfully. Don’t waste your time trying to fill
up the space with meaningless or nonsensical words.
Take a deep breath, choose your strongest idea as a
topic sentence, and, if nothing else, make a brief out-
line. Move on if you need to—you can always come
back at the end if time allows, and having the extra
time to think may be all the help you need.
Remember, you’re on the right track. Taking
charge of your own learning and being prepared are
great first steps toward a successful GED® test experi-
ence. Good luck!
207
 – T HE EX T END ED RES PO N S E E S S AY: P L A N N I N G A N D R E V I S I N G –

REVIEW
In this chapter, you have reviewed strategies for writing an effective essay.

1. An essay has three main parts:

UÊÊ>˜Êˆ˜ÌÀœ`ÕV̈œ˜
UÊÊ>ÊLœ`Þ
UÊÊ>ÊVœ˜VÕȜ˜
You can think of these three parts as the beginning, middle, and end.
2. The introduction catches the reader’s attention and introduces the main idea of the
essay in the form of a thesis statement. The body develops the thesis statement in
two or three paragraphs. The conclusion restates the thesis statement and brings the
essay to a close.
3. The writing process has three main steps:
UÊÊ«>˜˜ˆ˜}
UÊÊÜÀˆÌˆ˜}
UÊÊÀiۈȘ}
4. Planning is an important step in the writing process. It helps you decide what you
want to write about and organize your ideas effectively. Planning includes writing a
thesis statement, brainstorming ideas, and then organizing them into an outline.
Once you’ve completed these three steps, writing your essay should go more
smoothly.
5. Revising gives you one last chance to make sure your essay is as good as it can be. If
you have planned well, you should not have to make any major changes during the
revision process. Some things to check for include capitalization, punctuation, repeti-
tion, and clarity.

208
 9
C H A P T E R

GED® RLA
PRACTICE TEST 1

T
Part I
his practice test is modeled on the format, content, and timing of the official GED® Reasoning through
Language Arts test.

Like the official exam, this section presents a series of questions that assess your ability to read, write, edit, and
understand standard written English. You’ll be asked to answer questions based on informational and literary
reading passages. Refer to the passages as often as necessary when answering the questions.
Work carefully, but do not spend too much time on any one question. Be sure you answer every question.
Set a timer for 95 minutes (1 hour and 35 minutes), and try to take this test uninterrupted, under quiet
conditions.

209
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

Part II Part I
The official GED® Reasoning through Language Arts
test also includes an essay question, called the 48 total questions
Extended Response. Set a timer for 45 minutes, and 95 minutes to complete
try to read the given passage and then brainstorm,
write, and proofread your essay without interruption, Please use the following to answer questions 1–6.
under quiet conditions.
Complete answer explanations for every test
question and sample essays at different scoring levels
follow the exam. Good luck!

Remarks by the First Lady on a Visit to Thank USDA Employees

May 3, 2013
1 Thank you for supporting our farmers and our ranchers and working tirelessly to market their
products across the globe, which, by the way, helps to create jobs right here at home. Thank you
for protecting our environment by promoting renewable energy sources that will power our coun-
try for generations to come. So that’s an impact on not just us but our children and our grandchil-
dren and their children. Thank you for that work. Thank you for lifting up rural communities. And
thank you for keeping our food safe. And I think this is something most of the country doesn’t
realize—the work that you do here to protect the environment, you keep our food safe, working
to end hunger, improve nutrition for families across this country.
2 And the nutrition issue, as Tom mentioned, as you all know, is something near and dear to my
heart, not just as First Lady but as a mother. In fact, one of the first things that I did as, you know,
as First Lady, was to plant the garden at the White House. And it’s really pretty. [Laughter.] I hope
you guys get a chance to see it—it’s beautiful now. It rained a couple of days. Thank you. [Laugh-
ter.] And the idea with planting the garden wasn’t just to encourage kids to eat more vegetables.
I also wanted to teach them about where their food comes from.
3 I think you’ve known this—we see this as we traveled around the country—some kids have never
seen what a real tomato looks like off the vine. They don’t know where a cucumber comes from. And
that really affects the way they view food. So a garden helps them really get their hands dirty, liter-
ally, and understand the whole process of where their food comes from. And I wanted them to see
just how challenging and rewarding it is to grow your own food, so that they would better under-
stand what our farmers are doing every single day across this country and have an appreciation for
that work, that tradition—that American tradition of growing our own food and feeding ourselves.
4 And the garden helped spark a conversation in this country about healthy eating that led us to
create Let’s Move. As you know, it’s a nationwide initiative to end childhood obesity in this coun-
try in a generation, so that all of our kids can grow up healthy. And all of you all at USDA, let me
just tell you, have been such a critical part of this effort right from the very start. This would not
happen—all the conversation, all the movement around health—that’s all because of so many of
you right here in this room and throughout this building, and in agencies and facilities all over this
country. You helped to launch our new MyPlate icon, which is changing the way families serve their
meals and gives them a really easy way to understand what a healthy plate looks like.

210
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
1. What is the likely overall purpose or intent of
the passage?
a. to discuss the programs Mrs. Obama began
with the goal of inspiring kids to eat
healthier
b. to thank farmers for their work
c. to introduce Mrs. Obama’s nutrition
initiative
d. to emphasize the important role of USDA
employees in creating good nutrition in the
United States
2. Write your response in the box below.
According to Mrs. Obama,
mentioned that the nutrition issue is some-
thing near and dear to her heart.
3. Based on the passage, Mrs. Obama would most
likely
a. take her children to watch a professional
basketball game.
b. spend an evening teaching her children how
to cook dinner.
c. organize a family game night.
d. spend an afternoon playing soccer with her
husband, the president.
4. Which statement is NOT supporting evidence
that the health of United States citizens is
important to the First Lady?
a. “Thank you for protecting our environment
by promoting renewable energy sources that
will power our country for generations to
come.”
b. “And thank you for keeping our food safe.”
c. “And the nutrition issue, as Tom mentioned,
as you all know, is something near and dear
to my heart, not just as a First Lady but as a
mother.”
d. “You helped to launch our new MyPlate
icon, which is changing the way families
serve their meals and gives them a really easy
way to understand what a healthy plate looks
like.”
5. Which of the following is a synonym of the
word initiative as it’s used in this sentence:
“[I]t’s a nationwide initiative to end childhood
obesity in this country in a generation, so that
all of our kids can grow up healthy”?
a. program
b. enthusiasm
c. disinterest
d. involvement
6. How does the inclusion of paragraph 3 affect
the overall theme of the passage?
a. It damages Mrs. Obama’s claim.
b. It strengthens Mrs. Obama’s position.
c. It has no effect on the overall theme.
d. It intentionally confuses the reader.
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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

Please use the following to answer questions 7–11.

Excerpt from “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe

1 He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected

and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. Few Italians have the true
virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity, to
practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato,
like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I
did not differ from him materially—I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely
whenever I could.
2 It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encoun-
tered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man
wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the
conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him that I thought I should never have done wring-
ing his hand.
3 I said to him—“My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-
day. But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts.”
4 “How?” said he. “Amontillado, a pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!”
5 “I have my doubts,” I replied, “and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without
consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain.”
6 “Amontillado!”
7 “I have my doubts.”
8 “Amontillado!”
9 “And I must satisfy them.”
10 “Amontillado!”
11 “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If anyone has a critical turn it is he. He will tell
me—”
12 “Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry.”
13 “And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.”
14 “Come, let us go.”
15 “Whither?”
16 “To your vaults.”
17 “My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement.
Luchresi—”
18 “I have no engagement—come.”
19 “My friend, no. It is not the engagement but the severe cold with which I perceive you are
afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre.”
20 “Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon.
And as for Luchresi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado.”
21 Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm; and putting on a mask of black silk and
drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.

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7. Who are Fortunato’s “countrymen”?
a. Italians
b. Britons
c. Austrians
d. Spaniards
8. What do Fortunato and the narrator have in
common?
a. an interest in Italian history
b. they are wearing the same clothing
c. a passion for wine
d. a love of the carnival season
9. Which statement, in context, is NOT supporting
evidence that Fortunato has a passion for wine?
a. “[B]ut in the matter of old wines he was
sincere.”
b. “I was so pleased to see him that I thought I
should never have done wringing his hand.”
c. “Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from
Sherry.”
d. “The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado!”
10. In the context of the story, which of the follow-
ing is an example of irony?
a. “He prided himself on his connoisseurship
in wine.”
b. “For most part their enthusiasm is adopted
to suit the time and opportunity . . .”
c. “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met.”
d. “The vaults are insufferably damp.”
11. Why does the narrator first insist that he will
ask Luchresi’s opinion of the Amontillado?
a. because Luchresi has more expertise in wine
than Fortunato does
b. because Fortunato and the narrator are
known enemies
c. to gain the trust of Fortunato
d. to prey on Fortunato’s pride

Please use the following to answer questions 12–16.

Excerpt from “My First Lie, and How I Got Out of It,” by Mark Twain

1 I do not remember my first lie, it is too far back; but I remember my second one very well. I was
nine days old at the time, and had noticed that if a pin was sticking in me and I advertised it in
the usual fashion, I was lovingly petted and coddled and pitied in a most agreeable way and got
a ration between meals besides.
2 It was human nature to want to get these riches, and I fell. I lied about the pin—advertising one
when there wasn’t any. You would have done it; George Washington did it, anybody would have
done it. During the first half of my life I never knew a child that was able to raise above that temp-
tation and keep from telling that lie. Up to 1867 all the civilized children that were ever born into
the world were liars—including George. Then the safety pin came in and blocked the game. But
is that reform worth anything? No; for it is reform by force and has no virtue in it; it merely stops
that form of lying, it doesn’t impair the disposition to lie, by a shade. It is the cradle application
of conversion by fire and sword, or of the temperance principle through prohibition.
3 To return to that early lie. They found no pin and they realized that another liar had been added
to the world’s supply. For by grace of a rare inspiration a quite commonplace but seldom noticed
(continues)

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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

fact was borne in upon their understandings—that almost all lies are acts, and speech has no part
in them. Then, if they examined a little further they recognized that all people are liars from the
cradle onward, without exception, and that they begin to lie as soon as they wake in the morning,
and keep it up without rest or refreshment until they go to sleep at night. If they arrived at that
truth it probably grieved them—did, if they had been heedlessly and ignorantly educated by their
books and teachers; for why should a person grieve over a thing which by the eternal law of his
make he cannot help? He didn’t invent the law; it is merely his business to obey it and keep it still;
join the universal conspiracy and keep so still that he shall deceive his fellow-conspirators into
imagining that he doesn’t know that the law exists. It is what we all do—we that know. I am speak-
ing of the lie of silent assertion; we can tell it without saying a word, and we all do it—we that know.
In the magnitude of its territorial spread it is one of the most majestic lies that the civilizations
make it their sacred and anxious care to guard and watch and propagate.
4 For instance. It would not be possible for a humane and intelligent person to invent a rational
excuse for slavery; yet you will remember that in the early days of the emancipation agitation in
the North the agitators got but small help or countenance from anyone. Argue and plead and
pray as they might, they could not break the universal stillness that reigned, from pulpit and press
all the way down to the bottom of society—the clammy stillness created and maintained by the
lie of silent assertion—the silent assertion that there wasn’t anything going on in which humane
and intelligent people were interested.

12. Which of the following can be inferred from
the first two paragraphs?
a. The author grew up in the same state as
George Washington.
b. Before 1867, parents punished infants by
poking them with pins.
c. Before 1867, infants wore diapers fastened
with straight pins.
d. Safety pins were critical to eliminating a
child’s disposition to lie.
13. In the first two paragraphs, which of the fol-
lowing does the author present as evidence that
humans are born liars?
a. scientific data
b. personal experience
c. physical evidence
d. historical documentation
14. Which of the following best expresses the
author’s position on lying?
a. It should be forbidden.
b. It should be forgiven, but only for children.
c. It should be studied so that its cause can be
found and eliminated.
d. It should be accepted as a fundamental part
of human nature.
15. Based on the fourth paragraph, why does the
author think that slavery was allowed to con-
tinue for so long?
a. because people acted as though it was not an
important issue
b. because people understood the economic
importance of slaves to the South
c. because slave owners lied to everyone else
about how they treated their slaves
d. because agitators in the North didn’t state
their case

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16. Which of the following details does NOT sup-

port the main idea of the passage?
a. Even babies have a disposition to lie.
b. The introduction of the safety pin occurred
in 1867.
c. People often lie through acts rather than
words.
d. Early opponents of slavery faced indifference
from society.

Please use the following to answer questions 17–20.

Rebecca Dyer, Executive Director

Abacus Childcare
2404 Bellevue Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70810

(1) I would like to submit an application for the childcare position that was recently posted on your
website. I have (2) with children in varying capacities for almost four years, and absolutely love
kids of all ages. I have a high energy level and infinite amount of patience that blends well with
successfully managing a group of children.
(3), I nannied two preschool-aged twins before they entered kindergarten. During that time, I
learned to effectively develop entertaining and educational activities, manage disputes and dis-
ruptive behavior in a caring yet firm manner, and maintain a safe environment in the home. I also
helped teach the children proper manners, personal cleanliness, and appropriate social skills. I
believe the time I spent working with the family allowed me to develop excellent communication
skills and management capabilities.

Outside of my work experience, I’m detail-oriented and very organized. I pride myself in (4)
problem-solving abilities and love working hard to provide value to my work environment. I am
dependable, always on time, and keep the promises that I make.

I would love to speak with you regarding the position if you feel like I would be a good fit on your
team. I have attached my resume with contact information and have three references available
upon request.

Thank you for your time,

Mallory Holloway

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17. Which is the correct choice for (1)? 19. Which transitional word fits best in the begin-
a. Dear Ms. Dyer, ning of (3)?
b. dear ms. dyer, a. Recently
c. dear ms. Dyer, b. Currently
d. Dear ms. dyer, c. However
d. In addition
18. What is the correct form of the verb “to work”
in (2)? 20. Which of the following is a correct fit for (4)?
a. to work a. your
b. works b. me
c. worked c. my
d. work d. mine

Please use the following to answer questions 21–24.

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, 1961

1 Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President
Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:

2 We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end as well
as a beginning—signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you the same sol-
emn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.

3 The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms
of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which
our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe.

4 We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from
this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation
of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace,
proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those
human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed
today at home and around the world.

5 Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden,
meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of
liberty.

6 This much we pledge—and more.

7 To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful
friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is
little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
(continues)

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8 To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form
of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.
We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find
them strongly supporting their own freedom—and to remember that, in the past, those who fool-
ishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

9 To those peoples in the villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery,
we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not
because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

10 To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge—to convert our good words
into good deeds—in a new alliance for progress—to assist free men and free governments in
casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of
hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or
subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this hemisphere
intends to remain the master of its own house.

11 To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where
the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of sup-
port—to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective—to strengthen its shield of the
new and the weak—and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

12 Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a
request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction
unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

21. Which sentence best represents the theme of
the speech?
a. “We observe today not a victory of party but
a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an
end as well as a beginning—signifying
renewal as well as change.”
b. “We dare not forget today that we are the
heirs of that first revolution.”
c. “But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot
become the prey of hostile powers.”
d. “Let all our neighbors know that we shall
join with them to oppose aggression or
subversion anywhere in the Americas.”
22. What word or phrase signifies to the reader the
meaning of the word tyranny in the following
sentence? “To those new states whom we wel-
come to the ranks of the free, we pledge our
word that one form of colonial control shall
not have passed away merely to be replaced by
a far more iron tyranny.”
a. new states
b. ranks of the free
c. colonial control
d. iron

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23. What is the purpose of repeating “little we can- 24. From the list of five choices below, circle all of
not do” and “little we can do” in the following the characteristics that Kennedy displays in this
sentence? “United, there is little we cannot do speech.
in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, 1. fear
there is little we can do—for we dare not meet 2. a strong will
a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.” 3. compassion
a. to contrast the difference between being 4. morality
united and being divided 5. aggression
b. to highlight the similarity of being united
and being divided
c. to stress the United States’ role in foreign
politics
d. to promise what Kennedy wants to
accomplish during his presidency

Please use the following to answer questions 25–30.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation, 1941

1 Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

2 Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was
suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

3 The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in con-
versation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the
Pacific.

4 Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island
of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Sec-
retary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it
seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of
war or of armed attack.

5 It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was
deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese
government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expres-
sions of hope for continued peace.

6 The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and
military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition,
American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and
Honolulu.

7 Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

(continues)

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8 Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

9 Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

10 Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

11 Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

12 And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

13 Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The
facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already
formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our
nation.

14 As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our
defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

15 No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people
in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

16 I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not
only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery
shall never again endanger us.

17 Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are
in grave danger.

18 With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will
gain the inevitable triumph.

19 I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sun-
day, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese
empire.

25. What is the tone of the address?
a. shocked but assertive
b. timid and fearful
c. surprised and scared
d. insecure yet aggressive
26. What purpose does the word indeed serve in
the fourth paragraph?
a. to conclude his former idea
b. to alert the audience of a new premise
c. to emphasize the surprise of the attack
d. to introduce a new theme in the speech
27. What can be inferred from the first sentence in
paragraph 5?
a. Japan is close to Hawaii.
b. Japan and Hawaii are a significant distance
apart.
c. The United States mainland is as close to
Hawaii as Japan is.
d. Japan announced that it was going to attack.

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28. What is the purpose of repeating the phrase
“Last night, Japanese forces attacked”?
a. to show that Japanese forces were disorganized
b. to emphasize that it is cowardly to attack at
night
c. to show how other countries are united
against Japan
d. to emphasize the extent of Japan’s attack
29. Which of the following describes “the character
of the onslaught against us”?
a. expected
b. aggressive
c. regretful
d. unintentional
Please use the following to answer questions 31–34.
30. Which of the following is NOT evidence that
the attack came as a surprise?
a. “The United States was at peace with that
nation.”
b. “[O]ne hour after Japanese air squadrons
had commenced bombing in the American
island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to
the United States and his colleague delivered
to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a
recent American message.”
c. “During the intervening time, the Japanese
government has deliberately sought to
deceive the United States by false statements
and expressions of hope for continued peace.”
d. “Hostilities exist.”

Memo to: All Employees

From: Alexandra Chandler
Subject: Work Hours

Hello all!
(1) Beginning next week, we will poll the office in order to receive everyone’s input as we modify work hours.
The company (2) they want to change the schedule in order to better fit the needs of the employ-
ees. We will have three options to choose from. The first option is to keep the work schedule as
it is currently: 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. The second option is to work one more hour per
day on Monday through Thursday, but work only half a day on Friday. The third option is to work
two extra hours on Monday through Thursday, and have Fridays off.
Although (3) completely open to all three options, the members of the executive board feel that
the second option may fit the goals of the company and employees the best. Many of us already
stay to work late at the beginning of the week, and the extra hour would not feel unnatural. We
have also noticed that on (4). We understand this to be normal behavior and want to alter hours
so that we can better serve you.
We think that the second option would fit well with the patterns we have already observed; how-
ever, we still want your opinions. We will be sending questionnaires via e-mail for you to fill out
within the week. Please take some time to think about your responses before completing the
survey as we want the possible change to best reflect the needs of the office.
Please keep a lookout for the questionnaire and return it to us by the end of next week.
Thank you for your time,
Alexandra Chandler

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31. Which choice fits correctly in (1)?
a. We are announcing some really big changes
that might really affect us in the next few
months.
b. We would like to announce some potential
changes affecting our team in the next few
months.
c. FYI, stuff might be different soon.
d. PS: Thank you for your cooperation.
32. Choose the correct form of decide for (2).
a. will decide
b. has decided
c. decides
d. decide
33. Which choice fits correctly in (3)?
a. there
b. their
c. they is
d. they are
34. Which choice fits correctly in (4)?
a. Friday, afternoons employee activity drops
b. Friday afternoons employee, activity drops
c. Friday afternoons, employee activity drops
d. Friday afternoons employee activity, drops

Please use the following to answer questions 35–42.

Excerpt from Barack Obama’s First Inaugural Address, January 20, 2009

1 In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must
be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the
path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of
riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things—some cele-
brated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor—who have carried us up the long
rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

2 For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a
new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip,
and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg,
Normandy and Khe Sahn.

3 Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were
raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual
ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

4 This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth.
Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive,
our goods and services no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year. Our
capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and
putting off unpleasant decisions—that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick our-
selves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

5 For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold
and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth. We
(continues)

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will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and
bind us together. We’ll restore science to its rightful place and wield technology’s wonders to raise
health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel
our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to
meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

6 Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system can-
not tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this
country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to
common purpose and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground
has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long
no longer apply.

7 The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it
works—whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement
that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no,
programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account, to
spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can
we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Excerpt from Barack Obama’s Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 2013

1 We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity.
We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But
we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this
country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of
our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had
nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or hap-
piness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us,
at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm.
The commitments we make to each other—through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Secu-
rity—these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of
takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.

2 We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all
posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would
betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of
science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and
more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes
difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other
nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries—we must claim its promise.
(continues)

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That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure—our forests and water-
ways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded
to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

3 We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual
war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in
skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the
price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against
those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the
war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into
this time as well.

4 We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We
will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully—not
because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift
suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe;
and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one
has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy
from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our con-
science compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of
hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice—not out of mere charity, but
because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common
creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.

35. Which best summarizes the main idea
expressed in the first paragraph of Obama’s
First Inaugural Address?
a. Luck made the United States a successful
and great nation.
b. Those who worked hard and took risks
shaped America.
c. The United States is a great nation and hard
work will keep it so.
d. Obama feels very fortunate to have been
elected president.
36. Which sentence’s meaning is strengthened by
the “men and women [who] sacrificed and
struggled” mentioned in the first three para-
graphs in Obama’s First Inaugural Address?
a. “Our capacity remains undiminished.”
b. “For everywhere we look, there is work to be
done.”
c. “We’ll restore science to its rightful place and
wield technology’s wonders to raise health
care’s quality and lower its cost.”
d. “Their memories are short, for they have
forgotten what this country has already
done, what free men and women can achieve
when imagination is joined to common
purpose and necessity to courage.”

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37. From the list of five choices below, circle all of
the phrases that support the main idea of
Obama’s First Inaugural Address.
1. “Our journey has never been one of short-
cuts or settling for less.”
2. “This is the journey we continue today.”
3. “All this we can do. All this we will do.”
4. “We will harness the sun and the winds
and the soil to fuel our cars and run our
factories.”
5. “What the cynics fail to understand is that
the ground has shifted beneath them, that
the stale political arguments that have
consumed us for so long no longer apply.”
38. What is Obama’s purpose in beginning each of
three paragraphs of his Second Inaugural
Address with “We, the people”?
a. to show American pride
b. to stress past successes in order to prove the
country does not need to change
c. to quote the Preamble
d. to emphasize the theme of betterment in the
United States of America
39. What is the effect of repeating the words gen-
eration and build to compare “the generation
that built this country” with the “generation
that will build its future”?
a. because Obama is talking about the same
people
b. to create a connection between the past and
the future
c. because he thinks the next generation will be
better than the last
d. to emphasize that both generations still have
work to do
224
40. Which of the following does NOT support
Obama’s claim in his Second Inaugural
Address that Americans feel an obligation to
future generations?
a. “For we remember the lessons of our past,
when twilight years were spent in poverty,
and parents of a child with a disability had
nowhere to turn.”
b. “We will respond to the threat of climate
change, knowing that the failure to do so
would betray our children and future
generations.”
c. “Time and again these men and women
struggled and sacrificed and worked till their
hands were raw so that we might live a better
life.”
d. “We will defend our people and uphold our
values through strength of arms and rule of
law.”
41. Where will Obama support democracy, accord-
ing to his Second Inaugural Address?
a. in the Americas
b. worldwide
c. in Europe
d. in the Middle East
42. Which of the following sentences from the Sec-
ond Inaugural Address best fits into the theme
of the First Inaugural Address?
a. “They do not make us a nation of takers;
they free us to take the risks that make this
country great.”
b. “That’s what will lend meaning to the creed
our fathers once declared.”
c. “We, the people, still believe that enduring
security and a lasting peace do not require
perpetual war.”
d. “We must make the hard choices to reduce
the cost of health care and the size of our
deficit.”
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Please use the following to answer questions 43–48.

Remarks upon Signing the Civil Rights Bill (July 2, 1964), Lyndon Baines Johnson

1 My fellow Americans:

2 I am about to sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I want to take this occasion to talk to you
about what that law means to every American.

3 One hundred and eighty-eight years ago this week a small band of valiant men began a long
struggle for freedom. They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor not only to
found a nation, but to forge an ideal of freedom—not only for political independence, but for
personal liberty—not only to eliminate foreign rule, but to establish the rule of justice in the affairs
of men.

4 That struggle was a turning point in our history. Today in far corners of distant continents, the
ideals of those American patriots still shape the struggles of men who hunger for freedom.

5 This is a proud triumph. Yet those who founded our country knew that freedom would be secure
only if each generation fought to renew and enlarge its meaning. From the minutemen at Concord
to the soldiers in Viet-Nam, each generation has been equal to that trust.

6 Americans of every race and color have died in battle to protect our freedom. Americans of every
race and color have worked to build a nation of widening opportunities. Now our generation of
Americans has been called on to continue the unending search for justice within our own borders.

7 We believe that all men are created equal. Yet many are denied equal treatment.

8 We believe that all men have certain unalienable rights. Yet many Americans do not enjoy those
rights.

9 We believe that all men are entitled to the blessings of liberty. Yet millions are being deprived of
those blessings—not because of their own failures, but because of the color of their skin.

10 The reasons are deeply imbedded in history and tradition and the nature of man. We can under-
stand—without rancor or hatred—how this all happened.

11 But it cannot continue. Our Constitution, the foundation of our Republic, forbids it. The principles
of our freedom forbid it. Morality forbids it. And the law I will sign tonight forbids it.

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43. Which sentence is NOT an example of an
American ideal?
a. “We believe that all men are created equal.”
b. “The principles of our freedom forbid it.”
c. “Not only for political independence, but for
personal liberty.”
d. “Yet many are denied equal treatment.”
44. Which sentence expresses the same idea as
“Yet many are denied equal treatment”?
a. “Yet many Americans do not enjoy those
rights.”
b. “We believe that all men are entitled to the
blessings of liberty.”
c. “We can understand—without rancor or
hatred—how this all happened.”
d. “Americans of every race and color have
died in battle to protect our freedom.”
45. Based on Johnson’s remarks, which is the best
example of the United States’ “unending search
for justice within our own borders”?
a. Civil War
b. The Grand Canyon
c. Civil Rights Act of 1964
d. Vietnam War
46. Which answer best summarizes the main idea
expressed in the paragraph that begins “One
hundred and eighty-eight years ago”?
a. The United States was formed a long time
ago.
b. The founding fathers worked hard to create
a just nation.
c. The country has always treated everyone
fairly.
d. Men of all races fought for freedom 188
years ago.
226
47. Which sentence best expresses the theme of
President Johnson’s remarks?
a. American ideals include fair treatment for
everyone.
b. The United States is a great country.
c. Everyone is treated the same in the United
States.
d. Lyndon B. Johnson was one of the best
presidents.
48. Which of the following does NOT support
Lyndon B. Johnson’s stance that the Civil
Rights Bill is in line with American values?
a. “They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor not only to found a
nation, but to forge an ideal of freedom.”
b. “Today in far corners of distant continents,
the ideals of those American patriots still
shape the struggles of men who hunger for
freedom.”
c. “Americans of every race and color have
died in battle to protect our freedom.”
d. “The reasons are deeply imbedded in history
and tradition and the nature of man.”
Part II
1 question
45 minutes to complete
This practice allows you to compose your response to
the given task and then compare it with examples of
responses at the different score levels. You will also get
a scoring guide that includes a detailed explanation of
how official GED® test graders will score your
response. You may use this scoring guide to score
your own response.
It is important to note that on the official test
this task must be completed in no more than 45 min-
utes. Before you begin planning and writing, read the
two texts:
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

Page 227: excerpt from George W. Bush’s First
Inaugural Address
Page 228: excerpt from Barack Obama’s First
Inaugural Address
As you read the texts, think about the details from
both texts that you might use in your argumentative
essay. After reading the texts, plan your essay. Think
about the ideas, facts, definitions, details, and other
information and examples that you will want to use.
Think about how you will introduce your topic and
what the main topic will be for each paragraph.
As you write your argumentative essay, be sure
Good luck!
to do the following:
n Introduce your claim.
n Support your claim with logical reasoning and
relevant evidence from the texts.
n Acknowledge and address an alternative or
opposing claim.
n Organize the reasons and evidence logically.
n Use words, phrases, and clauses to connect your
ideas and to clarify the relationships among
claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
n Establish and maintain a formal style.
n Provide a concluding statement or section that fol-
lows from and supports the argument presented.

Please use the following to answer the essay question.

George W. Bush’s First Inaugural Address

January 20, 2001
1 We have a place, all of us, in a long story—a story we continue, but whose end we will not see. It
is the story of a new world that became a friend and liberator of the old, a story of a slave-holding
society that became a servant of freedom, the story of a power that went into the world to protect
but not possess, to defend but not to conquer.
2 It is the American story—a story of flawed and fallible people, united across the generations by
grand and enduring ideals.
3 The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that every-
one deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born.
4 Americans are called to enact this promise in our lives and in our laws. And though our nation has
sometimes halted, and sometimes delayed, we must follow no other course.
5 Through much of the last century, America’s faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a rag-
ing sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations.
6 Our democratic faith is more than the creed of our country, it is the inborn hope of our humanity,
an ideal we carry but do not own, a trust we bear and pass along. And even after nearly 225 years,
we have a long way yet to travel.
7 While many of our citizens prosper, others doubt the promise, even the justice, of our own coun-
try. The ambitions of some Americans are limited by failing schools and hidden prejudice and the
circumstances of their birth. And sometimes our differences run so deep, it seems we share a
continent, but not a country.
(continues)

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8 We do not accept this, and we will not allow it. Our unity, our union, is the serious work of leaders
and citizens in every generation. And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of
justice and opportunity.
9 And we are confident in principles that unite and lead us onward.
10 America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us
beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests and teach us what it means to be citizens.
Every child must be taught these principles. Every citizen must uphold them. And every immi-
grant, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
11 Today, we affirm a new commitment to live out our nation’s promise through civility, courage,
compassion and character.
12 America, at its best, matches a commitment to principle with a concern for civility. A civil society
demands from each of us good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness.

Excerpt from Barack Obama’s First Inaugural Address

January 20, 2009
1 In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must
be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the
path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of
riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things—some cele-
brated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor—who have carried us up the long
rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
2 For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a
new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip,
and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg,
Normandy and Khe Sahn.
3 Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were
raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual
ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we
continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no
less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and ser-
vices no less needed than they were last week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains
undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off
unpleasant decisions—that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up,
dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
(continues)

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4 For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold
and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.
We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce
and bind us together. We’ll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders
to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil
to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and univer-
sities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
5 Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system can-
not tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this
country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to
common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground
has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long
no longer apply.
6 The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it
works—whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement
that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no,
programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account, to
spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can
we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

PROMPT: There is ongoing debate in the political arena about what it means to be an American and what goals
society should set.
Weigh the opinions and vision of two United States Presidents and then write an argumentative essay sup-
porting either vision. Be sure to use relevant and specific evidence from both texts in your argumentative essay.
Remember to take only 45 minutes to plan, draft, and edit your response.

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Answers and Explanations
Part I
1. Choice d is correct. This is the only answer that
encompasses everything Mrs. Obama speaks
on, from thanking the USDA employees to
explaining how the healthy initiatives could not
succeed without them.
Choice a is incorrect. Although Mrs. Obama
discusses different programs she has created
with that goal, she uses those examples to
demonstrate the greater theme.
Choice b is incorrect. Mrs. Obama shows her
appreciation for farmers, but this answer
ignores many other ideas and information
brought up throughout the passage.
Choice c is incorrect. Mrs. Obama mentions the
Let’s Move initiative, but it is clear from her
comments that the initiative is already
underway; therefore, the purpose of Mrs.
Obama’s remarks is not to introduce Let’s
Move.
2. According to Mrs. Obama, a man named Tom
mentioned that the nutrition issue is something
near and dear to her heart. In the second para-
graph, Mrs. Obama states: “. . . the nutrition
issue, as Tom mentioned, as you all know, is
something near and dear to my heart . . .”
232
3. Choice b is correct. Selecting this answer choice
shows that the reader comprehends the
importance Mrs. Obama places on family and
healthy habits.
Choice a is incorrect. This answer ignores the
main topics of the passage, which include an
emphasis on participating in an active lifestyle,
not watching one.
Choice c is incorrect. This answer choice only
identifies one theme and ignores the focus on
nutrition.
Choice d is incorrect. Although this answer
incorporates both the themes of family and
having healthy habits, it disregards Mrs.
Obama’s emphasis on teaching children healthy
habits.
4. Choice a is correct. Even though Mrs. Obama is
stating another of the USDA’s contributions,
this answer does not focus on health or food,
but rather renewable resources. Also, the other
three answer choices clearly support the ques-
tion’s conclusion.
Choice b is incorrect. This sentence
demonstrates Mrs. Obama’s concern through
her gratitude.
Choice c is incorrect. This statement explicitly
states Mrs. Obama’s personal interest in health
in the United States.
Choice d is incorrect. In this sentence, Mrs.
Obama gives a specific example of the ways in
which she, along with the USDA, has worked to
teach citizens healthy habits.
5. Choice a is correct. If you replace the word
“initiative” with the word “program,” the sen-
tence would retain its meaning.
Choice b is incorrect. The word “enthusiasm”
does not fit the context.
Choice c is incorrect. “Disinterest” is an anto-
nym of “initiative.”
Choice d is incorrect. Replacing “initiative” with
“involvement” loses the meaning of the
sentence.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
6. Choice b is correct. It demonstrates the
necessity of garden programs by highlighting
the fact that some children don’t know how
food is grown or where their food comes from.
Choice a is incorrect. This response neglects
Mrs. Obama’s emphasis on why nutritional
programs are important.
Choice c is incorrect. The paragraph supports
the theme of the speech by providing
information about why the programs and
worker involvement are necessary.
Choice d is incorrect. Mrs. Obama is very clear
and explicitly states that children not only do
not know about nutrition, but do not know
where their food comes from. This ties into the
overall theme of health and demonstrates why
Mrs. Obama believes these programs are
needed.
7. Choice a is correct. Two sentences before
“countrymen,” the narrator says, “Few Italians
have the true virtuoso spirit.” The next few sen-
tences, including the one that uses “country-
men,” are descriptions of traits that Italians do
or do not have, according to the narrator.
Choice b is incorrect. Two sentences before
“countrymen,” the narrator says “Few Italians
have the true virtuoso spirit.” The next few sen-
tences discuss how the enthusiasm of many Ital-
ians is often a deception to take advantage of
the British or Austrians, according to the
narrator.
Choice c is incorrect. Two sentences before
“countrymen,” the narrator says “Few Italians
have the true virtuoso spirit.” The next few sen-
tences discuss how the enthusiasm of many Ital-
ians is often a deception to take advantage of
the British or Austrians, according to the
narrator.
Choice d is incorrect. There is no mention or
indication in the passage that Fortunato is a
Spaniard.
8. Choice c is correct. The narrator states that
Fortunato is “sincere” in his knowledge of “old
wines,” and “In this respect I did not differ from
him materially.”
Choice a is incorrect. At no point does the
narrator say anything about Italian history.
Choice b is incorrect. The narrator describes
Fortunato’s “parti-striped dress,” but does not
describe his own clothing.
Choice d is incorrect. The narrator states the
events happened “one evening during the
supreme madness of the carnival season,” but
makes no declarations about his feelings at the
time.
9. Choice b is correct. This describes the
narrator’s reaction to finding Fortunato, not
Fortunato’s feelings about wine.
Choice a is incorrect. The narrator is clearly
stating Fortunato knows wine.
Choice c is incorrect. Fortunato is attempting to
prove that he knows wines and convince the
narrator to take him to the cask of Amontillado
instead of consulting their friend Luchresi.
Choice d is incorrect. After the narrator warns
Fortunato that his health would be in danger if
they went to find the vault because of the cold,
Fortunato dismisses the concern in favor of the
wine.
10. Choice c is correct. Fortunato is actually quite
unlucky as he has just stumbled across a man
who wants to, and later does, kill him.
Choice a is incorrect. The narrator is being
sincere.
Choice b is incorrect. This is a follow-up
statement used to explain the narrator’s claim
that “[f]ew Italians have the true virtuoso
spirit.”
Choice d is incorrect. Although the narrator
does not actually mean to deter Fortunato from
the journey to his death, there is no text-based
reason to believe that the vaults are not cold
and wet.
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11. Choice d is correct. Early in the text, the
narrator states that Fortunato “had a weak
point—this Fortunato—although in other
regards he was a man to be respected and even
feared. He prided himself on his connoisseur-
ship in wine.”
Choice a is incorrect. There is nothing in the
text that indicates Luchresi has more expertise
in wine than Fortunato. As a matter of fact, the
narrator himself states that “in the matter of old
wines [Fortunato] was sincere.”
Choice b is incorrect. On the contrary, if the
narrator and Fortunato were known enemies,
Fortunato would not trust him and follow him
down to the vault.
Choice c is incorrect. The two men already
know and trust each other, which is evidenced
in their interactions and dialogue.
12. Choice c is correct. The author suggests that
before 1867 many babies were poked by pins,
and then the safety pin came along and
eliminated the problem. It can be inferred that
the reason the earlier babies were being poked
was because their diapers were fastened with
straight pins.
Choice a is incorrect. The only connection the
author makes between himself and George
Washington is that he, like Washington, was
born into the world a liar.
Choice b is incorrect. Although the author
suggests that before 1867 infants were often
poked by pins, he does not imply that pin-
poking was a form of parental punishment.
Choice d is incorrect. Although the author
states that safety pins made children unable to
“lie” by crying as if they had been poked by a
pin, the author also states that this “doesn’t
impair the disposition to lie.”
234
13. Choice b is correct. The author states, “During
the first half of my life I never knew a child that
was able to raise above that temptation and
keep from telling that lie.”
Choice a is incorrect. The author offers no
scientific data to support his claim.
Choice c is incorrect. The author does not
present any physical evidence to support his
claim.
Choice d is incorrect. Although the author
states that George Washington lied as a child, he
offers no historical documentation to support
this statement.
14. Choice d is correct. The author states that “all
people are liars from the cradle onward” and
also asks, “[W]hy should a person grieve over a
thing which by the eternal law of his make he
cannot help?”
Choice a is incorrect. The author does not
suggest that lying should be forbidden and, in
fact, argues that stopping a person from lying
does not remove a person’s disposition to lie.
Choice b is incorrect. The author does not
suggest that different rules should be applied to
adults and children.
Choice c is incorrect. The author does not
suggest that eliminating lying is a goal toward
which people should strive.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
15. Choice a is correct. The author argues that
those who didn’t speak up about slavery
implied “that there wasn’t anything going on in
which humane and intelligent people were
interested,” which was a quiet way of countering
antislavery activists.
Choice b is incorrect. The author does not
mention economics as an issue related to
slavery.
Choice c is incorrect. The author does not
suggest that slave owners lied to others; the
main idea of the paragraph is that people lied to
themselves about slavery.
Choice d is incorrect. The author says that anti-
slavery agitators in the North would “[a]rgue
and plead and pray,” but they didn’t get enough
support in response.
16. Choice b is correct. While this detail is
mentioned in the passage, it does not reflect the
main idea of the passage, which is that lying is a
part of human nature.
Choices a, c, and d are incorrect. These details
support the main idea of the passage, which is
that lying is a part of human nature.
17. Choice a is correct. All three words need to be
capitalized. Beginning letters of sentences are
always capitalized, and people’s names and titles
are capitalized.
Choice b is incorrect. This answer lacks all
necessary capitalization. All three words need to
be capitalized. Beginning letters of sentences are
always capitalized, and people’s names and titles
are capitalized.
Choices c and d are incorrect. All three words
must be capitalized.
18. Choice c is correct. This is the correct past
tense for a singular subject.
Choice a is incorrect. “I have to work with chil-
dren” does not make sense within the context.
The author is explaining what she has done in
the past.
Choices b and d are incorrect. These answer
choices do not make sense in context.
19. Choice a is correct. This word correctly
matches the past-tense verb “nannied.”
Choice b is incorrect. This does not fit in
context with the past-tense verb “nannied.”
Choice c is incorrect. The word “however” indi-
cates contrast with a previous statement. The
ideas in the sentence complement previous sen-
tences, and do not offer contrast.
Choice d is incorrect. This answer choice does
not make sense in context. In order to keep with
form, “recently” is a better answer.
20. Choice c is correct. “My” is the correct posses-
sive pronoun.
Choice a is incorrect. This is not the correct
possessive pronoun. The speaker is talking
about her abilities.
Choice b is incorrect. “Me” is not a possessive
pronoun. It is clear that the abilities belong to
someone.
Choice d is incorrect. Although “mine” is pos-
sessive, one uses it to indicate objects that
belong to them, and it would be awkward to say
“mine abilities.”
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21. Choice a is correct. This choice summarizes the
passage in totality, identifying Kennedy’s
emphasis on the past and the present as he
accepts the presidency.
Choice b is incorrect. This choice neglects
Kennedy’s focus on the future of the nation and
the world.
Choice c is incorrect. Kennedy stresses hope and
good things to come throughout the text;
however, this is just a small slice of everything
he says and is not the main theme.
Choice d is incorrect. Although Kennedy speaks
about the United States’ and its allies’ role in
furthering peace and democracy, this choice
ignores the weight Kennedy puts on how the
past shaped the country.
22. Choice c is correct. The use of “replaced” and
“more” signifies that “colonial control” and
“tyranny” mean similar things.
Choice a is incorrect. The sentence is addressed
to the “new states” to whom the promise of a
guard against more tyranny is made.
Choice b is incorrect. This phrase represents the
opposite of tyranny, the state to which the
countries have been “welcomed.” The second
half of the sentence is a promise to protect them
and guard against tyranny.
Choice d is incorrect. “Iron” is an adjective used
to describe tyranny.
236
23. Choice a is correct. Kennedy is contrasting
being united with being divided in order to
make a point about why countries should
cooperate (because they can accomplish
anything “in a host of cooperative ventures”).
Choice b is incorrect. This is the opposite of
Kennedy’s intention.
Choice c is incorrect. Kennedy is focusing on
everyone working together and not on foreign
policy.
Choice d is incorrect. Although Kennedy says
that he is committed to peace and cooperation,
this speech focuses on discussing the perils of
not working together.
24. Choice 1 is incorrect. Kennedy makes a point of
saying that the United States will “pay any price,
bear any burden, meet any hardship, support
any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure
the survival and the success of liberty.” This
does not show fear.
Choice 2 is correct. Many times Kennedy
emphasizes doing what is necessary to help
those in need and that the United States will
“pay any price.”
Choice 3 is correct. Kennedy stresses that he is
committed to showing people who are “strug-
gling” how to “help themselves,” and wants to
“assist free men and free governments in casting
off the chains of poverty.”
Choice 4 is correct. Kennedy states he pledges
the United States’ “best efforts” not for political
reasons, “but because it is right.” He also says he
wants to “convert our good words into good
deeds.”
Choice 5 is incorrect. In the last paragraph,
Kennedy explicitly asks “that both sides begin
anew the quest for peace.” He does not threaten
his opponents but rather warns against the con-
sequences of not working together.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
25. Choice a is correct. Roosevelt emphasizes that
the attack was a complete surprise because the
two nations were not warring, yet states that he
has “directed that all measures be taken for our
defense.” Even though he was not expecting the
event, he knows that “hostilities exist” and has
handled the situation.
Choice b is incorrect. Roosevelt says the United
States has “confidence in our armed forces” and
“determination of our people” and will “gain
the inevitable triumph.” These are not words of
a timid or fearful person.
Choice c is incorrect. Although he asserts many
times that the attack came as a surprise, he does
not show fear through his words. Rather, he
shows confidence in the country.
Choice d is incorrect. Some of what Roosevelt
says is aggressive, like asking Congress to
declare war, but he seems confident in the
abilities of the nation rather than insecure.
26. Choice c is correct. Roosevelt is effectively
stressing how “[t]he United States was at peace
with that nation” by emphatically pointing out
that the Japanese ambassador responded to the
American message.
Choice a is incorrect. The fourth paragraph says
that there were “existing diplomatic negotia-
tions,” an example of how Japan was “still in
conversation,” as stated in the previous
paragraph.
Choice b is incorrect. The fourth paragraph
supports the premise of the third paragraph.
Choice d is incorrect. The fourth paragraph
supports the theme of the previous paragraphs.
27. Choice b is correct. Roosevelt is implying that
the two islands are far enough apart that the
attack had to have been “deliberately planned.”
Choice a is incorrect. The attack wouldn’t have
had to have been planned “days or even weeks
ago” if the island was close and easy for the Jap-
anese to attack.
Choice c is incorrect. The United States
mainland is not mentioned and is irrelevant in
this context.
Choice d is incorrect. There is no evidence in
the speech to support this answer choice. The
opposite is true.
28. Choice d is correct. The drumbeat rhythm of
repetition emphasizes the great number of
attacks on one country after another.
Choice a is incorrect. There is no evidence in
the speech that Japan was disorganized. In fact,
evidence in the speech supports the conclusion
that the opposite was true.
Choice b is incorrect. There is no evidence in
the speech to support this conclusion.
Choice c is incorrect. There is no mention of
how the other countries handled or will handle
the attack.
29. Choice b is correct. Roosevelt states many
times the attack was an intentional move that
put “our interests . . . in grave danger.”
Choice a is incorrect. Contrary to this answer
choice, evidence in the speech supports the
conclusion that Japan launched a surprise
attack on the United States.
Choice c is incorrect. There is no evidence in
the speech to support this conclusion.
Choice d is incorrect. It is clear from the speech
that the attack was planned.
237
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
30. Choice d is correct. This sentence comes after
describing how the surprise attack was carried
out, acknowledging resulting clear and present
danger.
Choice a is incorrect. An attack is not expected
from a nation in peaceful accord with the
United States.
Choice b is incorrect. This sentence shows that
the nations were working together to find a
solution prior to the attack.
Choice c is incorrect. This sentence describes
how Japan worked to make sure the attack was
a surprise by deceiving the United States.
31. Choice b is correct. The tone is appropriate for
a work e-mail.
Choice a is incorrect. The phrases “some really
big” and “that might really affect” are informal
and awkward.
Choice c is incorrect. The tone is too informal
for a work e-mail.
Choice d is incorrect. A postscript (PS) comes
at the end of a letter, not at the beginning.
32. Choice b is correct. This is the past participle
verb. The decision “has” already been made.
Choice a is incorrect. This is the future tense,
and the decision has already been made.
Choice c is incorrect. This is the present tense,
and the action is not happening now.
Choice d is incorrect. This is the present tense
of the verb.
33. Choice d is correct. The plural pronoun
matches the plural form of the verb. The
contraction of these two words is “they’re” and
is a homophone of “there” and “their.”
Choice a is incorrect. The word “there” refers to
location.
Choice b is incorrect. “Their” is a possessive
pronoun.
Choice c is incorrect. Although this has the
correct plural pronoun, “is” is for singular
subjects.
238
34. Choice c is correct. This answer correctly closes
off the thought from the first part of the
sentence before introducing the second part of
the sentence. It shows a natural pause.
Choice a is incorrect. “Friday” modifies “after-
noons,” so they cannot be broken up by a
comma.
Choice b is incorrect. “Employee” serves as an
adjective for “activity.” They cannot be
separated.
Choice d is incorrect. “Activity” is the noun and
“drops” is the verb. They should not be
separated.
35. Choice b is correct. Obama remarks that
greatness is not a given and must be earned,
implying that the United States is not great by
luck, but by work and determination.
Choice a is incorrect. Luck is not mentioned as
making a great nation.
Choice c is incorrect. The future is not
mentioned in the first paragraph.
Choice d is incorrect. Obama does not discuss
his personal feelings about being president in
the address.
36. Choice d is correct. The sentence later in the
passage recalls the men and women mentioned
earlier to stress that the cynics are wrong in
thinking great things cannot be accomplished.
Choice a is incorrect. Although this answer
recognizes the theme of the sentence, that the
United States has a large and historical “capac-
ity” for greatness, it does not explicitly call on
the image of the people working or modify that
idea.
Choice b is incorrect. This choice neglects the
connection Obama makes between the people
who worked hard to shape America and the
cynics who are ignoring their struggles by
doubting change.
Choice c is incorrect. This phrase in the
question has nothing to do with the cost of
healthcare or technology.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
37. Choice 1 is correct. The main idea in the
address is that America was formed by hard
work, and that attitude needs to and will be
continued throughout this presidency. This
phrase supports that by firmly stating that tak-
ing the easy way out is not what “our journey”
has been about.
Choice 2 is correct. This phrase supports the
theme of the future of the United States.
Choice 3 is correct. This phrase supports the
idea that citizens and the government must
work hard and will work hard.
Choice 4 is incorrect. This phrase is about
renewable energy, which is used as a detail of
what Obama wants to focus on and is not the
main focus.
Choice 5 is incorrect. This phrase stresses the
negative and opposition to progress; it does not
support the idea of ambition.
38. Choice d is correct. Obama draws on the
history of the United States, like “the creed our
fathers once declared,” to stress that citizens
have an “obligation” to help “all posterity.”
Choice a is incorrect. Although Obama does
carefully praise the country throughout, the
point of the passage is to discuss the future
challenges and how past successes enable us to
face those challenges.
Choice b is incorrect. Choosing this answer
shows the reader clearly does not comprehend
that the main focus of the text is what Obama
believes needs to change.
Choice c is incorrect. This is the tool Obama is
utilizing, not the effect of utilizing that tool.
39. Choice b is correct. Obama uses words, or
rhetoric, to show that he thinks the two are
connected and that their interests both matter.
Choice a is incorrect. This choice neglects the
verb tense change of “built” to “will build.” This
shows he is talking about past people/actions
and future people/actions.
Choice c is incorrect. This sentence makes no
value judgment on either party, and does not
state one is better than the other.
Choice d is incorrect. One generation’s actions
are in the past, as “built” is the past tense verb;
their work is done.
40. Choice d is correct. Obama is stressing
American might and willingness to use its
power, not speaking of obligations to future
generations.
Choice a is incorrect. In this sentence, Obama
looks to the past for solutions to today’s
problems.
Choice b is incorrect. Obama is looking to the
future, arguing that failure to act to halt climate
change would “betray our children and future
generations.”
Choice c is incorrect. Here, Obama draws on
the past as a reason United States citizens must
fight for the future.
41. Choice b is correct. Specifically, Obama says,
“We will support democracy from Asia to
Africa; from the Americas to the Middle
East . . .”
Choices a, b, and c are incorrect. Obama says,
“We will support democracy from Asia to
Africa; from the Americas to the Middle
East . . .”
239
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
42. Choice b is correct. This sentence supports the
first inaugural’s theme of continuing the hard
work of the past in order to secure prosperity
and freedom for tomorrow.
Choice a is incorrect. This sentence refers to
healthcare and taking care of the country’s citi-
zens; this is mentioned in the first address, but
it is not the theme.
Choice c is incorrect. Obama’s First Inaugural
Address did not focus on war.
Choice d is incorrect. These details are not the
theme of the first address.
43. Choice d is correct. It is not an American ideal
to deny freedom. The opposite is true. Freedom
is the theme of American ideals.
Choice a is incorrect. This American ideal is
cited in paragraph 7.
Choice b is incorrect. This American ideal is
cited in the last paragraph.
Choice c is incorrect. This American ideal is
cited in paragraph 3.
44. Choice a is correct. People not having the same
rights as others means roughly the same thing
as the denial of equal treatment.
Choice b is incorrect. This means the opposite
of the quotation in question.
Choice c is incorrect. In this sentence, Johnson
is explaining that there were reasons for what
happened rather than restating the problem of
people being treated differently.
Choice d is incorrect. Johnson is affirming that
Americans of all races have contributed to their
country.
240
45. Choice c is correct. This is the best answer
because one of the main points of the remarks
is to explain that the Civil Rights Act will bring
the United States closer to achieving its goals
and values.
Choice a is incorrect. Johnson does not mention
the Civil War in the passage.
Choice b is incorrect. The Grand Canyon is one
of America’s natural wonders, unrelated to
America’s unending search for justice
domestically.
Choice d is incorrect. Johnson alludes to the
Vietnam War in the text and uses it as an
example of how American values are spanning
the globe, but this is a small detail in the
passage rather than a main idea. As well,
Vietnam is outside of “our own borders.”
46. Choice b is correct. Johnson talks about the
values that the forefathers focused on when
forming the nation in this paragraph.
Choice a is incorrect. This is a detail of the pas-
sage, but not the main theme.
Choice c is incorrect. This idea is not stated in
the paragraph, and it also runs counter to the
entire point of the speech.
Choice d is incorrect. There is no evidence to
support this conclusion in the remarks.
47. Choice a is correct. Johnson expresses many
times and in a variety of ways that equality is
one of the cornerstones of American values.
Choice b is incorrect. Johnson talks about how
he believes America is a great country, but this
is not the main idea of his remarks.
Choice c is incorrect. Johnson’s remarks are
about America’s ideal of ensuring equality, yet
to be achieved.
Choice d is incorrect. Johnson makes no value
judgment about himself.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

48. Choice d is correct. This is Johnson’s brief
explanation of how inequality happened, rather
than an explanation of how the law aligns with
American values.
Choice a is incorrect. Johnson uses history and
the vision of the forefathers to illustrate that
freedom is a core American value and that free-
dom includes equality.
Choice b is incorrect. Johnson says that because
American values are shaping foreign struggles,
the United States must continue to make sure
that it upholds its own values.
Choice c is incorrect. Johnson uses this sentence
to say that all kinds of people, regardless of race,
have fought for the country.
Part II
Your extended response will be scored based on three
traits, or elements:
n Trait 1: Creation of arguments and use of
evidence
n Trait 2: Development of ideas and organizational
structure
n Trait 3: Clarity and command of standard Eng-
lish conventions
Your essay will be scored on a 6-point scale—each
trait is worth up to 2 points. The final score is counted
twice, so the maximum number of points you can
earn is 12.
Trait 1 tests your ability to write an essay that takes a
stance based on the information in the reading pas-
sages. To earn the highest score possible, you must
carefully read the information and express a clear
opinion on what you have read. You will be scored on
how well you use the information from the passages
to support your argument.
Your response will also be scored on how well
you analyze the author’s arguments in the passages.
To earn the highest score possible, you should discuss
whether you think the author is making a good argu-
ment, and why or why not.
For your reference, here is a table that readers
will use when scoring your essay with a 2, 1, or 0.

TRAIT 1: CREATION OF ARGUMENTS AND USE OF EVIDENCE

2 • Makes text based argument s and establishes an intent connected to the prompt
• Presents specific and related evidence from source text s to support argument may include a few
unrelated pieces of evidence or unsupported claims
• naly es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s e.g., distinguishes
between supported and unsupported claims, makes valid inferences about underlying assumptions,
identifies false reasoning, evaluates the credibility of sources

1 • Makes an argument with some connection to the prompt

• Presents some evidence from source text s to support argument may include a mix of related and
unrelated evidence that may or may not cite the text
• Partly analy es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s ; may be lim
ited, oversimplified, or inaccurate

0 • May attempt to make an argument lacks an intent or connection to the prompt attempts
neither
• Presents little or no evidence from source text s sections of text may be copied from source
directly
• Minimally analy es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s ; may
present no analysis, or little or no understanding of the given argument

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

Trait 2 tests whether you respond to the writing
prompt with a well-structured essay. Support of your
thesis must come from evidence in the passages, as
well as personal opinions and experiences that build
on your central idea. Your ideas must be fully
explained and include specific details. Your essay
should use words and phrases that allow your details
and ideas to flow naturally. Here is a table that out-
lines what is involved in earning a score of 2, 1, or 0.

TRAIT 2: DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

2 • Contains ideas that are generally logical and well developed; most ideas are expanded upon
• Contains a logical sequence of ideas with clear connections between specific details and main ideas
• Develops an organi ational structure that conveys the message and goal of the response; appropri
ately uses transitional devices
• Develops and maintains an appropriate style and tone that signal awareness of the audience and
purpose of the task
• ses appropriate words to express ideas clearly

1 • Contains ideas that are partially developed and or may demonstrate vague or simplistic logic; only
some ideas are expanded upon
• Contains some evidence of a sequence of ideas, but specific details may be unconnected to main
ideas
• Develops an organi ational structure that may partially group ideas or is partially effective at con
veying the message of the response; inconsistently uses transitional devices
• May inconsistently maintain an appropriate style and tone to signal an awareness of the audience
and purpose of the task
• May contain misused words and or words that do not express ideas clearly

0 • Contains ideas that are ineffectively or illogically developed, with little or no elaboration of main
ideas
• Contains an unclear or no sequence of ideas; specific details may be absent or unrelated to main
ideas
• Develops an ineffective or no organi ational structure; inappropriately uses transitional devices, or
does not use them at all
• ses an inappropriate style and tone that signals limited or no awareness of audience and purpose
• May contain many misused words, overuse of slang, and or express ideas in an unclear or repeti
tious manner

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

Trait 3 tests how you create the sentences that make
up your essay. To earn a high score, you will need to
write sentences with variety—some short, some long,
some simple, some complex. You will also need to
prove that you have a good handle on standard
English, including correct word choice, grammar, and
sentence structure.
Here is a table that outlines what is involved in
attaining a score of 2, 1, or 0.

TRAIT 3: CLARITY AND COMMAND OF STANDARD ENGLISH CONVENTIONS

2 • Demonstrates generally correct sentence structure and an overall uency that enhances clarity with
regard to the following skills
Diverse sentence structure within a paragraph or paragraphs
Correct use of subordination, coordination, and parallelism
voidance of awkward sentence structures and wordiness
se of transitional words, con unctive adverbs, and other words that enhance clarity and logic
voidance of run on sentences, sentence fragments, and fused sentences
• Demonstrates proficient use of conventions with regard to the following skills
Sub ect verb agreement
Placement of modifiers and correct word order
Pronoun usage, including pronoun antecedent agreement, unclear pronoun references, and pro
noun case
requently confused words and homonyms, including contractions
se of apostrophes with possessive nouns
se of punctuation e.g., commas in a series or in appositives and other non essential elements,
end marks, and punctuation for clause separation
Capitali ation e.g., beginnings of sentences, proper nouns, and titles
• May contain some errors in mechanics and conventions that do not impede comprehension; overall
usage is at a level suitable for on demand draft writing

1 • Demonstrates inconsistent sentence structure; may contain some choppy, repetitive, awkward, or
run on sentences that may limit clarity; demonstrates inconsistent use of skills as listed under
Trait , Score Point
• Demonstrates inconsistent use of basic conventions with regard to skills as listed under Trait ,
Score Point
• May contain many errors in mechanics and conventions that occasionally impede comprehension;
overall usage is at the minimum level acceptable for on demand draft writing

0 • Demonstrates improper sentence structure to the extent that meaning may be unclear; demon
strates minimal use of skills as listed under Trait , Score Point
• Demonstrates minimal use of basic conventions with regard to skills as listed under Trait ,
Score Point
• Contains numerous significant errors in mechanics and conventions that impede comprehension;
overall usage is at an unacceptable level for on demand draft writing

• esponse is insufficient to show level of proficiency involving conventions and usage

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

243
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
Sample Score 6 Essay
The inaugural addresses of Presidents Bush and
Obama have one key difference that is immediately
apparent: President Bush’s address is focused on the
past, while President Obama’s speech is focused on
the future.
Neither speaker gives an exact description of the
historical context of his address, but even someone
unfamiliar with the history of the past fifteen years
can pick up a few clues. President Bush states: “A civil
society demands from each of us good will and
respect, fair dealing and forgiveness.” Forgiveness is
something offered for past wrongs. He also speaks of
“civility” and “compassion.” It seems clear that Presi-
dent Bush was assuming office at a time when people
were angry and divided over an issue or issues, and
that he feels the need to urge forgiveness.
President Obama, on the other hand, is a bit
more explicit about his context, saying: “The state of
our economy calls for action, bold and swift.” Obvi-
ously, Obama is assuming office in the midst of an
economic crisis. But in his speech, he frames that cri-
sis as an opportunity to envision and create a better
future. In the same paragraph in which he mentions
the economy, Obama repeatedly refers to what “we
will“ do in the future: “we will act,” “we will build,”
“we will restore,” “we will harness,” and “we will
transform.”
This is not to say that Obama does not mention
the past at all. Both presidents pay homage to previ-
ous generations. However, Obama does so in more
concrete and inclusive terms, mentioning experiences
and events that resonate with a wide range of Ameri-
cans—working in sweatshops, enduring slavery, and
fighting in the Civil War, in World War II, and in
Vietnam. In contrast, Bush speaks vaguely, though
fondly, of our “democratic ideals.”
Though, in essence, both speeches touch on
many similar points—that America is a land of prom-
ise and that we should make sure all American enjoy
the fruits of that promise, Obama’s speech is more
powerful because he seems to have a clear vision of
244
how to move forward. Bush’s speech seems like it was
designed to soothe an angry electorate, not to lay out
a clear agenda. His speech was fine, in that it was well
organized and included the usual patriotic language.
But in my opinion, any inaugural address should
acknowledge the current state of the nation’s affairs
and lay out a plan for the future. Obama’s speech
does this, while Bush’s does not.
About this essay:
This response is a six-point response because it is well
organized, free of major grammatical or mechanical
problems, and it uses details from both passages to
make a coherent and even-handed argument that is
based more on fact than on personal emotions.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
This response evaluates the arguments in the source
texts, develops an effective position supported by
the texts, and fulfills the criteria to earn 2 points for
Trait 1.
This response establishes its stance in the first
sentence (President Bush’s address is focused on the
past, while President Obama’s speech is focused on the
future) and develops it a step further in the conclu-
sion (But in my opinion, any inaugural address should
acknowledge the current state of the nation’s affairs and
lay out a plan for the future. Obama’s speech does this,
while Bush’s does not).
The writer also provides a summary of support
for that stance (It seems clear that President Bush was
assuming office at a time when people were angry and
divided over an issue or issues, and that he feels the need
to urge forgiveness. President Obama, on the other hand,
is a bit more explicit about his context, saying: “The state
of our economy calls for action, bold and swift.”)
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
This response is well developed and fulfills the criteria
to earn 2 points for Trait 2. It is well organized, from
the writer’s clear point of view in the first paragraph,
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
to the side-by-side comparison of the strengths of
each speech.
The writer’s vocabulary and sentence structures
are sophisticated, and the tone shows an intensity of
purpose.
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
This response fulfills the criteria for draft writing and
earns 2 points for Trait 3. Besides employing sophisti-
cated sentence structure (However, Obama does so in
more concrete and inclusive terms, mentioning experi-
ences and events that resonate with a wide range of
Americans—working in sweatshops, enduring slavery,
and fighting in the Civil War, in World War II, and in
Vietnam.), this response uses clear transitions in its
compare and contrast construction (In contrast, Bush
speaks vaguely, though fondly, of our “democratic
ideals.”)
Sample Score 4 Essay
People become president need to make sure they
appeal to all Americans, not just a few. This is why
President Bush’s inaugural address was more effective
than President Obama’s. President Bush reminded
listeners repeatedly of their common heritage. Presi-
dent Obama’s speech seemed more self-centered
because he talked about all the things he wanted to
accomplish, but did not consider the concerns of
average Americans.
President Bush talks about issues that all Ameri-
cans are related to. For example he says “The grandest
of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that
everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance,
that no insignificant person was ever born.” He is
talking about democracy here, and that is something
all Americans agree with. But Obama seems to be
picking a fight with political opponents when he says
things like “What the cynics fail to understand is that
the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale
political arguments that have consumed us for so
long no longer apply.” To me, Obama seems to be say-
ing that people who don’t agree with him are cynics
with “stale” arguments. That could be denigrated to
many people.
A president is president to all Americans, not
just a few. That is why I think that the way President
Bush talks about the need for all of us to practice
“civility“ is so important. Our country has many
problems to solve, and we can’t solve them without
civility and being willing to forgive each other and
operate with good will.
In conclusion, I believe President Bush did the
best job in introducing himself and his plans as presi-
dent to the country. He did so by appealing to every-
one, not just to his supporters.
About this essay:
The essay is well structured, and the writer uses mul-
tiple quotes from the passages to back up key points.
However, there are some minor grammatical/
mechanical errors, and the writer uses opinion and
emotion as much as supporting evidence from the
passages.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
This response attempts to evaluate the arguments in
the source texts, develops a position supported by the
texts, and meets the criteria to earn 1 point for Trait
1. The writer establishes their perspective in the first
sentence (People become president need to make sure
they appeal to all Americans, not just a few.) and uses
quotes to support their opinion (Obama seems to be
picking a fight with political opponents when he says
things like “What the cynics fail to understand is that
the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale
political arguments that have consumed us for so long
no longer apply.”) though they also make leaps with-
out textual evidence.
245
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
This response fulfills the criteria to earn 2 points for
Trait 2. The writer begins by establishing their opin-
ion, examines specific facets of each speech, and con-
cludes by comparing the two speeches directly (In
conclusion, I believe President Bush did the best job in
introducing himself and his plans as president to the
country. He did so by appealing to everyone, not just to
his supporters).
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
This response fulfills the criteria for draft writing
and earns 1 point for Trait 3. There are some errors
that make understanding the writer’s meaning chal-
lenging (That could be denigrated to many people.)
Sample Score 3 Essay
If you look at President Bush’s speech and compare
and contrast it with President Obama’s speech, you
can see right away that Obama’s is better.
Bush and Obama both talk about the path of
America. But Obama makes Americans sound strong.
He talks about the whip and the lash, and working
your hands raw, and you can just feel how tough
Americans are. But Bush just talks about how we are
“flawed” and that sometimes we “halted.” I don’t
think this is how people are aspired. It’s not who we
are.
Obama gets on a roll near the end of his speech
with all the talk about “we will do this” and “we will
do that,” but all Bush does is say “be nice” and “be
forgiving.” Forgiving for what? Right away, you get
your suspicious up.
That’s why Obama’s speech is better. He isn’t
afraid to call it like it is and he won’t let anything
stand in his way. All Bush seems to worry about is
good manners.
246
About this essay:
This is a three-point response: although it does have a
structure, it lacks a clear central argument and fea-
tures scant support from the passages. It also has
grammatical errors that interfere with meaning.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
This response attempts to evaluate the arguments in
the source texts, though they struggle to develop a
position supported by the texts, and so they earn 1
point for Trait 1.
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
This response has a structure but features little to no
development of ideas, instead relying on a fairly
straightforward recap of the texts. It meets the crite-
ria to earn 1 point for Trait 2.
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
This response attempts to fulfill the criteria for
draft writing and earns 1 point for Trait 3. The spell-
ing and syntactical errors reflect insufficient time
revising or a lack of facility with written English
(aspired, “get your suspicious up”).
Sample Score 0 Essay
President Bush knows what it means to be American.
He talks about patriotism and civil society and about
how immigrants can find opportunities to be Ameri-
can here. President Obama’s speech is just scary. All
that talk about the hard work people are supposed to
like and the hard work we have to do. What about our
government?
It’s like Obama forgot that you have to talk like
a president when you are giving a speech to the
American people. This isn’t a pep rally. You have to
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 1 –

show you know yor stuff. That is what Bush does. He
knows his American history. He quotes the facts.
Obama talks about what he wants to do and the
work we are supposed to do. That’s not facts. That’s
just wishes. Facts are what make speeches important.
About this essay:
This is a zero-point response because it is poorly
structured, features multiple spelling and gram-
matical errors, and relies very little on evidence
from the passages. Rather, it is based on the writer’s
unsupported emotions.

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Blank Page
 10
C H A P T E R

GED® RLA
PRACTICE TEST 2

T
Part I
his practice test is modeled on the format, content, and timing of the official GED® Reasoning through
Language Arts test.

Like the official exam, this section presents a series of questions that assess your ability to read, write, edit, and
understand standard written English. You’ll be asked to answer questions based on informational and literary
reading passages. Refer to the passages as often as necessary when answering the questions.
Work carefully, but do not spend too much time on any one question. Be sure you answer every question.
Set a timer for 95 minutes (1 hour and 35 minutes), and try to take this test uninterrupted, under quiet
conditions.

Part II
The official GED® Reasoning through Language Arts test also includes an Extended Response question—an
essay question. Set a timer for 45 minutes and try to read the given passage and brainstorm, write, and proof-
read your essay uninterrupted, under quiet conditions.
Complete answer explanations for every test question and sample essays at different scoring levels follow
the exam. Good luck!
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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –

Part I

48 total questions
95 minutes to complete

Please use the following to answer questions 1–8.

This excerpt is from the Declaration of Independence.

1 When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the
political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of
the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
causes which impel them to the separation.
2 We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pur-
suit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in
such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence,
indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to
suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they
are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same
Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty,
to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has
been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains
them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Brit-
ain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment
of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
3 He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He
has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless sus-
pended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has
utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation
of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in
the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called
together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository
of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his mea-
sures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his
invasions on the rights of the people.

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 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –

1. Write your answers in the boxes below. 4. Which of the following quotations builds on
the argument that governments should get
Based on the excerpt, “He has dissolved Repre-
their powers from the consent of the governed?
sentative Houses repeatedly” is an example of
a. “He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most
an injustice committed by the of
wholesome and necessary for the public
.
good”
b. “whenever any Form of Government
2. Paragraph 3 can be summed up as
becomes destructive of these ends, it is the
a. a list of laws for life in the colonies written
Right of the People to alter or to abolish it”
by the King of Great Britain
c. “He has dissolved Representative Houses
b. a list of laws created for the newly
repeatedly”
independent United States of America
d. “He has called together legislative bodies at
c. a list praising the many good acts carried out
places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant
by the King of Great Britain
from the depository of their public Records”
d. a list of injustices committed by the King of
Great Britain against the colonies
5. What evidence supports the claim that the
King of Great Britain has wronged the
3. Which of the following quotations expresses
colonists?
the Declaration’s main idea that the American
a. a list of court rulings against the King in
colonies want independence from Great
favor of the colonists
Britain?
b. a list of all his wrongdoings provided by
a. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
other world leaders
all men are created equal”
c. a list of the King’s wrongdoings
b. “it becomes necessary for one people to
d. a list of names of colonists whom have been
dissolve the political bands which have
personally wronged
connected them with another”
c. “He has refused to pass other Laws for the
6. How would you evaluate the list of grievances
accommodation of large districts of people”
given to support the claim that the King of
d. “they are endowed by their Creator with
England wronged the colonists?
certain unalienable Rights”
a. relevant and sufficient
b. relevant and insufficient
c. irrelevant and sufficient
d. irrelevant and insufficient

7. Which of the following claims is supported by

evidence?
a. All men are equal.
b. The King of Great Britain is a tyrannical
leader.
c. All men have certain unalienable rights.
d. Governments should be controlled by the
governed.

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8. The quotation “to secure these rights, Govern-
ments are instituted among Men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed”
is an example of which of the following?
a. an explanation
b. factual evidence
c. valid reasoning
d. false reasoning
Read the following excerpt and answer the next four
questions.
What Was Her Life About?
(1) We were married and lived together for sev-
enty years,
(2) Enjoying, working, raising twelve children,
(3) Eight of whom we lost
(4) Ere I had reached the age of sixty.
(5) I spun, wove, kept the house, nursed the
sick,
(6) Made the garden, and for the holiday
(7) Rambled over the fields where sang many
larks,
(8) And by the Spoon River gathering many a
shell,
(9) And many a flower and medicinal weed—
(10) Shouting to the wooded hills, singing to
the green valleys.
(11) At ninety-six I had lived enough, that is all,
(12) And passed a sweet repose.
—Edgar Lee Masters, Spoon River Anthology
10. Which of the following words best describes
the overall mood of the poem?
a. joy
b. anger
c. acceptance
d. wonder
11. Which of the following is the most likely expla-
nation of the line from the poem that reads,
“Shouting to the wooded hills, singing to the
green valleys” (line 10)?
a. The speaker had a fine singing voice.
b. The speaker loved the countryside.
c. The speaker preferred sounds to silence.
d. The speaker spent of a lot of time working
in the fields.
12. Which can you infer about the couple’s
marriage?
a. They were never meant to be together.
b. They could not deal with the loss of their
children.
c. They had an extremely happy marriage.
d. They had their sorrows and their joys.

9. Based on the excerpt, what does the woman

mean when she talks of passing “a sweet
repose” (line 12)?
a. her death
b. her old age
c. how well she slept at night
d. needing to rest more as she grew older

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Please use the following passage to answer questions 13 and 14.

This excerpt is from a speech by George W. Bush delivered on March 19, 2008.

1 Operation Iraqi Freedom was a remarkable display of military effectiveness. Forces from the UK,
Australia, Poland, and other allies joined our troops in the initial operations. As they advanced,
our troops fought their way through sandstorms so intense that they blackened the daytime sky.
Our troops engaged in pitched battles with Fedayeen Saddam, death squads acting on the
orders of Saddam Hussein that obeyed neither the conventions of war nor the dictates of con-
science. These death squads hid in schools, and they hid in hospitals, hoping to draw fire
against Iraqi civilians. They used women and children as human shields. They stopped at noth-
ing in their efforts to prevent us from prevailing, but they couldn’t stop the coalition advance.
2 Aided by the most effective and precise air campaign in history, coalition forces raced across
350 miles of enemy territory, destroying Republican Guard divisions, pushing through the
Karbala Gap, capturing Saddam International Airport, and liberating Baghdad in less than one
month. . . .
3 Because we acted, Saddam Hussein no longer fills fields with the remains of innocent men,
women, and children. . . . Because we acted, Saddam’s regime is no longer invading its neigh-
bors or attacking them with chemical weapons and ballistic missiles.

13. Based on this speech excerpt about Operation
Iraqi Freedom, take the following list of events
and write them in the correct order of occur-
rence on the lines below.
coalition forces cross 350 miles of enemy
territory
Operation Iraqi Freedom is launched
Baghdad is liberated
1. ___________________________________
14. In the excerpt from Bush’s speech, what does
the Middle Eastern setting, comprising “sand-
storms so intense that they blackened the day-
time sky,” add to the first paragraph, which
mentions troops fighting death squads?
a. a heightened sense of beauty
b. a heightened sense of contentment
c. a heightened sense of danger
d. a decreased sense of danger

2. ___________________________________

3. ___________________________________

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Please use the following to answer questions 15–20.

The 1976 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address, delivered by Barbara Jordan

1 Throughout—throughout our history, when people have looked for new ways to solve their
problems and to uphold the principles of this nation, many times they have turned to political
parties. They have often turned to the Democratic Party. What is it? What is it about the Demo-
cratic Party that makes it the instrument the people use when they search for ways to shape their
future? Well, I believe the answer to that question lies in our concept of governing. Our concept
of governing is derived from our view of people. It is a concept deeply rooted in a set of beliefs
firmly etched in the national conscience of all of us.
2 Now, what are these beliefs? First, we believe in equality for all and privileges for none. This is
a belief—this is a belief that each American, regardless of background, has equal standing in
the public forum—all of us. Because—because we believe this idea so firmly, we are an inclusive
rather than an exclusive party. Let everybody come.
3 I think it no accident that most of those immigrating to America in the 19th century identified
with the Democratic Party. We are a heterogeneous party made up of Americans of diverse
backgrounds. We believe that the people are the source of all governmental power, that the
authority of the people is to be extended, not restricted.
4 This—this can be accomplished only by providing each citizen with every opportunity to par-
ticipate in the management of the government. They must have that, we believe. We believe
that the government which represents the authority of all the people, not just one interest
group, but all the people, has an obligation to actively—actively—seek to remove those obsta-
cles which would block individual achievement—obstacles emanating from race, sex, economic
condition. The government must remove them, seek to remove them.
5 We are a party—we are a party of innovation. We do not reject our traditions, but we are willing
to adapt to changing circumstances, when change we must. We are willing to suffer the discom-
fort of change in order to achieve a better future. We have a positive vision of the future
founded on the belief that the gap between the promise and reality of America can one day be
finally closed. We believe that.
6 This, my friends is the bedrock of our concept of governing. This is a part of the reason why
Americans have turned to the Democratic Party. These are the foundations upon which a
national community can be built. Let all understand that these guiding principles cannot be
discarded for short-term political gains. They represent what this country is all about. They are
indigenous to the American idea. And these are principles which are not negotiable.

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15. What is the main idea of the second
paragraph?
a. Every citizen is welcomed by the Democratic
Party.
b. Immigrants have often chosen to support
the Democratic Party.
c. Barbara Jordan approves of the Democratic
Party.
d. The Democratic Party accepts only the best
of the best.
16. Which of the following statements supports
Barbara Jordan’s belief that the government
must represent all people?
a. “Because we believe this idea so firmly, we
are an inclusive rather than an exclusive
party.”
b. “This can be accomplished only by
providing each citizen with every
opportunity to participate in the
management of the government.”
c. “We do not reject our traditions, but we are
willing to adapt to changing circumstances,
when change we must.”
d. “These are the foundations upon which a
national community can be built.”
17. Based on the text, which of the following sce-
narios would Barbara Jordan most likely
support?
a. A Democratic Party presidential candidate
holding a private dinner for a select group of
people.
b. Members of a political party focusing on
recruiting only those who can donate large
amounts of money.
c. A Democratic candidate running for the
state senate.
d. A local Democratic Party group holding an
open forum for members of the community.
18. Which of the following statements best sum-
marizes the main idea of the address?
a. Many people have chosen to support the
Democratic Party over the years.
b. The values of the Democratic Party
represent American ideals.
c. The Democratic Party has evolved when
necessary.
d. all of the above
19. In which of the following phrases does Barbara
Jordan criticize the Democratic Party?
a. When she calls it “the instrument the people
use when they search for ways to shape their
future.”
b. When she says that those in the party
“believe in equality for all and privileges for
none.”
c. When she says that it is a “party of
innovation.”
d. none of the above
20. From which statement can you infer that Bar-
bara Jordan believes the government should
enact laws against race and gender
discrimination?
a. “What is it about the Democratic Party that
makes it the instrument the people use when
they search for ways to shape their future?”
b. “We believe that the people are the source of
all governmental power, that the authority of
the people is to be extended, not restricted.”
c. “We have a positive vision of the future
founded on the belief that the gap between
the promise and reality of America can one
day be finally closed.”
d. “We believe that the government which
represents the authority of all the people . . .
has an obligation to actively—actively—seek
to remove those obstacles which would
block individual achievement.”
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Please use the following to answer questions 21–25. 21. Choose the correct form of accumulate for (1).
a. accumulate
b. accumulates
To: All Staff c. accumulated
From: Allison Lewis, Manager d. will accumulate
Date: July 15, 2016
Subject: Piles of Books 22. Which word fits correctly in (2)?
It has come to our attention that there have
a. Therefore
been piles of books that (1) on the floor in
b. However
the fiction, cooking, and teen sections of the
c. Meanwhile
bookstore by the end of every day. It has
d. Instead
gotten so bad that some customers are com-
plaining that they are in the way of a large
23. Which word fits correctly in (3)?
portion of shelved books. (2), we are intro-
a. please
ducing a new policy that mandates employ-
b. pleases
ees check their assigned sections for piles
c. Please
every hour and that employees then shelf
d. Pleases
any books found out of place.
24. Which word fits correctly in (4)?
(3) make sure to follow this procedure regu- a. my
larly. Even piles of a few books can cause b. your
unnecessary obstacles for customers. c. their
Thank you for (4) cooperation!
d. her

(5) 25. Which word fits correctly in (5)?

Allison Lewis
a. Best.
b. Best!
c. Best’
d. Best,

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Please use the following to answer questions 26–29.

This excerpt is from The Fall of the House of Usher, by Edgar Allan Poe.

During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly
dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within
view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was; but, with the first glimpse of the
building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was
unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually
receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the scene
before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon the
bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows—upon a few rank sedges—and upon a few white
trunks of decayed trees—with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensa-
tion more properly than to the after-dream of the reveler upon opium—the bitter lapse into every-
day life—the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the
heart—an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture
into aught of the sublime. What was it—I paused to think—what was it that so unnerved me in the
contemplation of the House of Usher? It was a mystery all insoluble; nor could I grapple with the
shadowy fancies that crowded upon me as I pondered. I was forced to fall back upon the unsatis-
factory conclusion that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects
which have the power of thus affecting us, still the analysis of this power lies among considerations
beyond our depth. It was possible, I reflected, that a mere different arrangement of the particulars
of the scene, of the details of the picture, would be sufficient to modify, or perhaps to annihilate
its capacity for sorrowful impression; and, acting upon this idea, I reined my horse to the precipi-
tous brink of a black and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled luster by the dwelling, and gazed down—but
with a shudder even more thrilling than before—upon the remodeled and inverted images of the
gray sedge, and the ghastly tree stems, and the vacant and eye-like windows.

26. The words sorrowful, sickening, melancholy, 27. Based on this excerpt, take the following list of
and dreary serve to give the excerpt a events and write them in the correct order of
a. joyous tone. occurrence on the lines below.
b. foreboding tone. rides through the countryside
c. courageous tone. feels a sense of gloom
d. silly tone. reins his horse near the house
comes to the House of Usher
1. ________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. ________________________________
4. ________________________________

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28. The phrase “vacant eye-like windows” is an 29. Replacing “insufferable gloom” with which of
example of the following words changes the tone of the
a. alliteration. phrase “a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded
b. hyperbole. my spirit”?
c. onomatopoeia. a. melancholy
d. personification. b. joy
c. sadness
d. despair

Please use the following to answer questions 30–35.

From the personal memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, LXX

1 Things began to quiet down, and as the certainty that there would be no more armed resistance
became clearer, the troops in North Carolina and Virginia were ordered to march immediately
to the capital, and go into camp there until mustered out. Suitable garrisons were left at the
prominent places throughout the South to insure obedience to the laws that might be enacted
for the government of the several States, and to insure security to the lives and property of all
classes. I do not know how far this was necessary, but I deemed it necessary, at that time, that
such a course should be pursued. I think now that these garrisons were continued after they
ceased to be absolutely required; but it is not to be expected that such a rebellion as was
fought between the sections from 1861 to 1865 could terminate without leaving many serious
apprehensions in the mind of the people as to what should be done.
2 Sherman marched his troops from Goldsboro, up to Manchester, on the south side of the James
River, opposite Richmond, and there put them in camp, while he went back to Savannah to see
what the situation was there.
3 It was during this trip that the last outrage was committed upon him. Halleck had been sent to
Richmond to command Virginia, and had issued orders prohibiting even Sherman’s own troops
from obeying his, Sherman’s, orders. Sherman met the papers on his return, containing this
order of Halleck, and very justly felt indignant at the outrage. On his arrival at Fortress Monroe
returning from Savannah, Sherman received an invitation from Halleck to come to Richmond
and be his guest. This he indignantly refused, and informed Halleck, furthermore, that he had
seen his order. He also stated that he was coming up to take command of his troops, and as he
marched through it would probably be as well for Halleck not to show himself, because he (Sher-
man) would not be responsible for what some rash person might do through indignation for the
treatment he had received. Very soon after that, Sherman received orders from me to proceed
to Washington City, and to go into camp on the south side of the city pending the mustering-
out of the troops.
(continues)

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4 The march of Sherman’s army from Atlanta to the sea and north to Goldsboro, while it was not
accompanied with the danger that was anticipated, yet was magnificent in its results, and
equally magnificent in the way it was conducted. It had an important bearing, in various ways,
upon the great object we had in view, that of closing the war. All the States east of the Missis-
sippi River up to the State of Georgia, had felt the hardships of the war. Georgia, and South
Carolina, and almost all of North Carolina, up to this time, had been exempt from invasion by
the Northern armies, except upon their immediate sea coasts. Their newspapers had given such
an account of Confederate success, that the people who remained at home had been convinced
that the Yankees had been whipped from first to last, and driven from pillar to post, and that
now they could hardly be holding out for any other purpose than to find a way out of the war
with honor to themselves.
5 Even during this march of Sherman’s the newspapers in his front were proclaiming daily that his
army was nothing better than a mob of men who were frightened out of their wits and hasten-
ing, panic-stricken, to try to get under the cover of our navy for protection against the Southern
people. As the army was seen marching on triumphantly, however, the minds of the people
became disabused and they saw the true state of affairs. In turn they became disheartened, and
would have been glad to submit without compromise.

30. Why were garrisons left in the South?
a. Violence was still prevalent.
b. The Civil War is brewing.
c. Grant thought it was necessary at the time.
d. Sherman made the order.
31. What historical event can you infer was draw-
ing to a close at the time this was written?
32. How would the tone of the passage change if
the word outrage was replaced with injustice
in the sentence, “It was during this trip that the
last outrage was committed upon him”?
a. It would support Grant’s disapproval of
Sherman’s March.
b. It would strengthen Grant’s support of
Sherman’s March as necessary.
c. It would increase Grant’s list of criticisms of
Sherman.
d. It would confirm Grant’s claim that the
Confederates believed they had succeeded.
33. Which of the following quotations reveals
Grant’s disagreement with the Confederate
viewpoint after the Civil War?
a. “[B]ut it is not to be expected that such a
rebellion as was fought between the sections
from 1861 to 1865 could terminate without
leaving many serious apprehensions in the
mind of the people as to what should be
done.”
b. “It was during this trip that the last outrage
was committed upon him.”
c. “Their newspapers had given such an
account of Confederate success, that the
people who remained at home had been
convinced that the Yankees had been
whipped from first to last, and driven from
pillar to post. . . .”
d. “In turn they became disheartened, and
would have been glad to submit without
compromise.”

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34. Put the events in chronological order. 35. What does the word triumphantly mean in the
A—Sherman’s men were ordered not to following sentence: “As the army was seen
listen to him marching on triumphantly, however, the minds
B—the Confederates “saw the true state of of the people became disabused and they saw
affairs” the true state of affairs”?
C—the Civil War a. sheepishly
D—Sherman’s March b. victoriously
a. C, A, D, B c. angrily
b. C, A, B, D d. defeatedly
c. A, C, D, B
d. A, C, B, D

Please use the following to answer questions 36–39.

“Watching Volcanoes,” by Millie Ceron

1 Scientists who watch volcanoes bear a great responsibility. It is up to them to alert the public
when they think that a volcano is about to erupt. But it is not always easy to tell when an erup-
tion is imminent. I know, because my whole career as a scientist has been spent studying vol-
canoes. I’ve learned that predicting eruptions is a very inexact science. There often are certain
warning signs, but they can be very difficult to interpret. What should you do when you see
them? You certainly don’t want to cause a panic or tell people to flee unless it is really necessary,
yet you also don’t want to underestimate the danger. Scientists like me usually try to steer a
path between these two extremes. But we also try to err on the side of caution: It’s always bet-
ter to be safe than sorry!
2 What are the signs that an eruption may soon occur? The main ones are earthquakes beneath
the mountain, bulges in the sides of the mountain, and the escape of volcanic gases.
3 Watching for Earthquakes. Earthquakes often occur for some time before an eruption of magma
(molten rock) and volcanic gases force their way up through underground channels. Sometimes
the force causes a continuous shaking called tremor. To record earthquakes, a device called a
seismometer is used. Four to eight seismometers are typically installed close to or on the
mountain. Only by being very close to the volcano can seismometers pick up the tiny
earthquakes that may be the first sign that a volcano may erupt.
4 When an eruption is just about to take place, earthquakes often occur in “swarms.” Scientists
monitor these swarms around the clock. The reason is that variations in the type and strength
of the quakes are often the best indication that an eruption is just about to happen.
(continues)

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5 Watching for Bulges in the Sides of the Mountain. During the months or weeks prior to an
eruption, magma rises inside a volcano. The pressure created by this magma often causes the
sides of the mountain to “tilt.” Sometimes it even causes visible bulges in the mountainside. To
monitor these bulges, scientists use a sensitive instrument called a tiltmeter. Today they also use
satellite-based technology to take precise measurements. By these methods scientists discov-
ered that in the months before Mount Saint Helens erupted in 1982, one side of the mountain
swelled by more than 100 meters.
6 Watching for Volcanic Gases. The gases dissolved in magma provide the main force in a volcanic
eruption. Consequently, it is important to find out whether any gases are present and if so, what
kinds of gases. However, collecting these gases is not easy. They are often found escaping from
vents high up on the mountain or in the crater. Scientists may visit the vents themselves and
collect the gases in bottles for analysis in the laboratory. But such visits are dangerous: the climb
can be difficult, the gases themselves can be hazardous to breathe, and there is always the
danger of an eruption. Scientists may also place automated gas monitors near the vents, but
these devices are often destroyed by the acidic gases. Another way to collect the gases is by
flying through the gas clouds above the volcano in specially equipped airplanes. But it is
difficult to obtain good samples by this method, and bad weather can keep planes on the
ground just when monitoring is most urgent. However, when scientists succeed in collecting
volcanic gases, they can tell a lot about how a volcano works and what effects it may have on
Earth’s climate and environment.

“The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska,” by Ling Chen

1 Mt. Spurr is a small volcano located 80 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. In August 1991, eight
seismographs placed on the mountain began recording many very small earthquakes. Airborne
gas sampling was used to check for the presence of volcanic gases.
2 In early June 1992, earthquake activity increased. Then on June 27 a “swarm” of earthquakes
suggested magma moving at shallow depth. As the earthquakes grew stronger, scientists broad-
cast a warning that an eruption might be about to occur. Later that day, pilots reported ash
plumes erupting from the mountain.
3 After the June 27 eruption, earthquake activity declined rapidly to its lowest level in months.
Scientists concluded that the danger of further eruptions was low. During July, bad weather
often grounded pilots, preventing airborne observation of the volcano and collection of volca-
nic gas samples. Weeks passed during which little occurred at the mountain.
(continues)

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4 On August 18, however, a pilot suddenly reported a huge ash plume above the crater. Scientists
immediately broadcast a warning that an eruption was occurring.
JULY–AUGUST 1992
100

NUMBER OF EVENTS PER DAY

90
80

Eruption of August 18
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
JULY 10 20 AUGUST10 20
TIME

This graph shows earthquake activity recorded at Mt. Spurr before the eruption of August 18.
The eruption ended after a few hours, and earthquake activity remained low, so the likelihood
of further eruptions again seemed to be low.
5 That fall, however, earthquake activity increased once again beneath Mt. Spurr. “Swarms” of
strong earthquakes were recorded in both early October and early November. Each time, sci-
entists issued warnings that “a large eruption is likely within the next 24 to 48 hours.” However,
no eruption took place. When another “swarm” of earthquakes occurred in December, scientists
decided not to issue an eruption warning.

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 1992
100
NUMBER OF EVENTS PER DAY

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
10 20 10 20 10 20
OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

This graph shows earthquake activity recorded at Mt. Spurr from October through December 1992.

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36. What is the main purpose of paragraph 3 in
“Watching Volcanoes”?
a. to describe how scientists monitor
earthquakes to predict volcanic eruptions
b. to define scientific terms, such as magma,
tremor, and seismometer
c. to explain how scientists use seismometers
to record earthquakes
d. to show how earthquakes cause volcanic
gases to escape
37. Which of the following best summarizes
“Watching Volcanoes”?
a. Scientists monitor bulges in the sides of
mountains with tiltmeters because bulges
may indicate a volcanic eruption will soon
occur.
b. Scientists should not visit vents on
mountaintops to collect and analyze gases
because it is extremely dangerous.
c. Scientists were concerned enough about a
small volcano near Anchorage, Alaska, to
issue a warning it might erupt in June 1992.
d. Scientists who watch volcanoes monitor
signs of eruption by various means to ensure
the public is aware of possible dangers.
38. How are “Watching Volcanoes” and “The 1992
Eruptions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska” different?
a. “Watching Volcanoes” focuses on a
particular eruption, and “The 1992
Eruptions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska” is about
volcanoes in general.
b. “Watching Volcanoes” is a personal account,
and “The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr,
Alaska” is an objective report.
c. “Watching Volcanoes” discusses
seismometers or seismographs, and
“The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska”
does not.
d. “Watching Volcanoes” is a diary entry, and
“The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska” is
a newspaper article.
39. Considering that there were never more than
ten events in a single day from July to August
1992, why might the first graph allot space for
as many as 100 events?
a. to illustrate how Mt. Spurr was not capable
of erupting
b. to forecast a major rise of events in
September
c. to contrast the dramatic number of events in
November on the second graph
d. because this is the standard graph that all
volcano-watching scientists use
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Please use the following to answer questions 40–43.

This excerpt is from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

1 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must
be in want of a wife.
2 However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neigh-
bourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is consid-
ered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.
3 “My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let
at last?”
4 Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
5 “But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
6 Mr. Bennet made no answer.
7 “Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife, impatiently.
8 “You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
9 This was invitation enough.
10 “Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large
fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see
the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that
he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by
the end of next week.”
11 ‘What is his name?’
12 “Bingley.”
13 “Is he married or single?”
14 “Oh, single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.
What a fine thing for our girls!”
15 “How so? How can it affect them?”
16 “My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome? You must know that I am
thinking of his marrying one of them.”
17 “Is that his design in settling here?”
18 “Design? Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of
them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
19 “I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves,
which perhaps will be still better, for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might
like you the best of the party.”
20 “My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be
anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give
over thinking of her own beauty.”
21 “In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”
(continues)

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22 “But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbour-
hood.”
23 “It is more than I engage for, I assure you.”
24 “But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them.
Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account; for in general, you
know, they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him,
if you do not.”
25 “You are over scrupulous, surely. I daresay Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will
send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he
chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.”
26 “I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others: and I am sure she is
not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving
her the preference.”
27 “They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied he: “they are all silly and ignorant
like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”
28 “Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing
me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”
29 “You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have
heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.”
30 “Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”
31 “But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come
into the neighbourhood.”
32 “It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”
33 “Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”
34 Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the
experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his
character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding,
little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself ner-
vous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married: its solace was visiting and news.

40. What is the number of the paragraph that sup- 41. What is the theme of the excerpt?
ports the idea that a wealthy man is always a. travel
looking for a wife? b. divorce
Paragraph c. holidays
d. marriage

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42. In paragraph 14, what does “four or five thou-
sand a year” refer to?
a. the number of Mr. Bingley’s annual trips to
the Bennets’ town
b. Mr. Bingley’s annual income
c. Mr. Bennet’s annual income
d. Mrs. Long’s annual income
43. What conclusion can you draw about Mrs.
Bennet’s wishes?
a. She wants to marry Mr. Bingley for his
money.
b. She wants one of her daughters to marry Mr.
Bingley.
c. She doesn’t want any of her daughters to
marry Mr. Bingley.
d. She wishes she had married someone with
more money.

Please use the following to answer questions 44–48.

To: All Staff

From: Allison Lewis, Manager
Date: June 5, 2016
Subject: Bookstore Procedures

I am writing to clear up some issues dealing with our bookstores procedures. I have been getting
a lot of questions about what procedures bookstore staff members are meant to follow on every
shift. Recently, I have taken it upon myself to write a list of the procedures for reference.

1. at the beginning of a shift, all staff must sign in through our computer system.
2. Staff members assigned two the floor shift should check for misplaced books regularly and
reshelf those books.
3. Staff members assigned to the stock shift should keep the warehouse clean and
organized.
4. No staff member is allowed to give a discount to any customer without manager approval.
5. Staff members do not receive free and complimentary drinks at the in-store café.
6. Customers are not allowed to preorder books that are not yet on our preorder list.
7. Before leaving a shift, all staff members must perform one last check for cleanliness and
organization of the store and must sign out though our computer system.
8. If a staff member forget to sign in or sign out, he or she must consult the manager before
estimating his or her sign in and sign out times.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Best,
Allison Lewis

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44. In the first sentence of the company memo,
what should be added to make it correct?
a. an apostrophe at the end of procedures
b. an apostrophe at the end of bookstores
c. an apostrophe between bookstore and s
d. nothing
45. Reread the first list item:
1. at the beginning of a shift, all staff must
sign in through our computer system.
Now, rewrite the sentence to correct any errors
by writing it in the box below:
1.
46. In the second list item of the company memo,
what should be changed to make it correct?
a. change two to to
b. change for to four
c. change and to or
d. no change
47. In the fifth list item, which of the following
changes would improve the sentence?
a. delete and complimentary
b. delete in-store café
c. insert on the house before free
d. no change
48. In the eighth list item of the company memo,
what should be changed in order to make it
correct?
a. change forget to forgets
b. change he or she to they
c. change consult to consults
d. no change
Part II
1 question
45 minutes to complete
This practice allows you to compose your response to
the given task and then compare it with examples of
responses at the different score levels. You will also get
a scoring guide that includes a detailed explanation of
how official GED® test graders will score your
response. You may use this scoring guide to score
your own response.
Before you begin, it is important to note that on
the official test this task must be completed in no
more than 45 minutes. But don’t rush to complete
your response; take time to carefully read the
passage(s) and the question prompt. Then think
about how you would like to respond.
As you write your essay, be sure to:
n Decide which position presented in the passages
is better supported by evidence.
n Explain why your chosen position has better
support.
n Recognize that the position with better support
may not be the position you agree with.
n Present multiple pieces of evidence from the pas-
sage to defend your assertions.
n Thoroughly construct your main points, organiz-
ing them logically, with strong supporting details.
n Connect your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas
with transitional words and phrases.
n Express your ideas clearly and choose your words
carefully.
n Use varied sentence structures to increase the
clarity of your response.
n Reread and revise your response.
Good luck!
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Please use the following passages to answer the essay question.

An Analysis of Stem Cell Research

1 Stem cell research is research using embryonic and “somatic” or “adult” stem cells for the pur-
pose of advancing medicine. This research has been in existence since the beginning of the
twentieth century, and over the years many breakthroughs have come from it. In 1998, scientists
discovered methods to derive stem cells from human embryos. In 2006, researchers made
another breakthrough, which involved reprogramming some adult cells in certain conditions to
assume a stem-cell-like state. Stem cells themselves are useful in medical research because they
are at the early state of reproduction, where the cell can either remain a stem cell or become a
cell that would be involved in the formation of bones, brain cells, skin, the nervous system,
organs, muscles, and every other part of the body.

Benefits of Stem Cell Research

2 Theoretically, research points to stem cell research being of great value in medical advance-
ment. At this time, it is not yet clear how much can be done with stem cell research, and the
possible benefits are incalculable. It could lead to cures for diabetes or heart disease. It is also
seen as a potential resource to help cure cancer and Parkinson’s disease, or even to regenerate
a severed spinal cord and allow someone to walk who has been confined to a wheelchair.
Although this sounds miraculous, it will not happen without extensive work and time.

3 Currently, adult stem cell therapies are used in the form of bone marrow transplants for treating
leukemia. In 2006, researchers created artificial liver cells from umbilical cord blood stem cells.
And in 2008, a study was published of the first successful cartilage regeneration in a human
knee using adult stem cells. The variety of ways in which stem cell research could aid in curing
many diseases has just begun to be explored.

4 While there are questions regarding human embryo stem cells for research, there are a variety
of ways to acquire stem cells. As noted in a 2008 Stanford publication, regarding human embryo
stem cell research specifically, a majority of the researchers are not actually touching newly
derived stem cells, but are instead using the lineage and data of stem cells that have already
been researched by other scientists. They have made these cell lines available for others to
work with and learn from. Along with advances regarding adult stem cell research, this could
be a fruitful direction for medical inquiry.
(continues)

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Arguments against Stem Cell Research

5 Stem cell research is a risky endeavor that does not have clear-cut benefits, and a lot of moral
questions are involved. While it seems clear that certain diseases are being treated by stem cell
therapies, there are too many questions regarding further study and use.

6 With human embryo stem cells, a major concern is where they are coming from. One suggestion
is for these stem cells to be taken from embryos that have been created for reproduction via in
vitro fertilization. These embryos could be donated for scientific research after it is confirmed
that they are not going to be used for reproduction. While this seems like a simple solution,
there’s also the question of the actual usefulness of those stem cells. With all stem cell thera-
pies, Consumer Reports in 2010 noted the concern regarding transplanted cells forming tumors
and becoming cancerous if the cell’s division continued uncontrollably. There are also concerns
of immune rejection by the patient being treated. While immunosuppressant drugs are used in
organ transplant surgery, would this work on a body with new cells injected into it? There’s also
the additional question of whether the correct cell types can be induced in the stem cells, since
the stem cells themselves are undifferentiated and can become many different kinds of cells.

7 While certain therapies have been successfully created, this research is still very untested. More
conversations and clear education of the public are needed regarding this controversial form
of medical therapy and the research behind it.

PROMPT: In your response, analyze both passages to

While the first passage outlines the benefits of and determine which position is better supported. Use
identifies arguments for stem cell research, the sec- relevant and specific evidence from both sources to
ond passage identifies arguments against stem cell support your response.
research.

269
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Answers and Explanations
Part I
1. The correct answer is the King of Great Brit-
ain. The second to the last sentence in the sec-
ond paragraph states, “The history of the
present King of Great Britain is a history of
repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in
direct object the establishment of an absolute
Tyranny over these States.” The America colo-
nists rebelled against the King of Great Britain’s
control of the colonies.
2. Choice d is correct. This paragraph incorpo-
rates a list of injustices that had been commit-
ted against the colonies by the King of Great
Britain. The previous paragraphs describe suf-
fering that the King caused the colonies, and
paragraph 3 provides examples of those
injuries.
Choice a is incorrect. This paragraph
incorporates a list of injustices that had been
committed against the colonies by the King of
Great Britain. It is not a list of laws written by
the King, but a list of acts he committed.
Choice b is incorrect. This paragraph
incorporates a list of injustices that had been
committed against the colonies by the King of
Great Britain. It is not a list of laws for the
newly independent United States of America
because the colonies were not yet independent
when the Declaration was written.
Choice c is incorrect. This paragraph
incorporates a list of injustices that had been
committed against the colonies by the King of
Great Britain. It is not a list of his good acts due
to the fact that they are all negative things, and
because the previous paragraphs mention that
the King has committed repeated injuries
against the colonies.
3. Choice b is correct. This quotation explicitly
states that one group of people wishes to dis-
solve political ties with another group of peo-
ple, meaning the colonies dissolving political
ties with Great Britain.
Choice a is incorrect. This quotation supports
the idea of equality for all men, but does not
express the desire to be free from Great Britain.
Choice c is incorrect. This quotation expresses
one of the grievances that the colonists have
against the King of Great Britain. It is one of the
reasons why the colonies want to split from
Great Britain, but it does not express that desire
itself.
Choice d is incorrect. This quotation supports
the idea of certain rights for all men, but does
not express the desire to be free from Great
Britain.
4. Choice b is correct. This quotation goes into
more depth about what it means to have a
government that gains its power from the
consent of the governed and that is essentially
controlled by the governed. This helps build the
argument for popular sovereignty that this
excerpt expresses.
Choice a is incorrect. This quotation expresses a
grievance that the colonists have against the
King of Great Britain. It does not specifically
help to build an argument for popular
sovereignty.
Choice c is incorrect. This quotation expresses a
grievance that the colonists have against the
King of Great Britain. It does not specifically
help to build an argument for popular
sovereignty.
Choice d is incorrect. This quotation expresses a
grievance that the colonists have against the
King of Great Britain. It does not specifically
help to build an argument for popular
sovereignty.
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5. Choice c is correct. The final paragraph of the
excerpt is a list of the King’s wrongdoings
against the colonies.
Choice a is incorrect. The excerpt does not list
court cases against the King.
Choice b is incorrect. The list of wrongdoings in
the excerpt is by American colonists, not by
other world leaders.
Choice d is incorrect. This excerpt does not
name any specific individuals; it attempts to
speak for the colonists as a whole.
6. Choice a is correct. The information given in
the list of grievances is made up of examples of
wrongdoings that the King has done against the
colonists. This is definitely relevant to a claim
that the King has carried out wrongs against the
colonists. Furthermore, the list goes on for a
long paragraph, making it more than sufficient
to support the claim.
Choice b is incorrect. While the choice of
relevancy is correct, the list goes on for a long
paragraph, making it more than sufficient to
support the claim. Therefore, the choice of
insufficiency is incorrect.
Choice c is incorrect. While the choice of
sufficiency is correct, the information given in
the list of grievances is made up of examples of
wrongdoings that are relevant to the claim.
Therefore, the choice of irrelevancy is incorrect.
Choice d is incorrect. The information given in
the list of grievances is made up of examples of
wrongdoings that the King has done against the
colonists. This is definitely relevant to a claim
that the King has carried out wrongs against the
colonists. Furthermore, the list goes on for a
long paragraph, making it more than sufficient
to support the claim.
276
7. Choice b is correct. The whole last paragraph
of the excerpt is a list of tyrannical actions the
King of Great Britain committed against the
colonists.
Choice a is incorrect. The excerpt claims that
“all men are created equal,” but it does not pro-
vide evidence as to why this is true. No evidence
is given to support this claim.
Choice c is incorrect. The excerpt claims that all
men “are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights,” but it does not provide evi-
dence to support this claim.
Choice d is incorrect. The excerpt discusses the
idea of popular sovereignty, but it provides no
evidence to support this claim.
8. Choice d is correct. Factually, there is no
validity to the claim that the only way to secure
certain rights is through a government
controlled by the governed. Logically, there is
really no reason why this would be the only way
to secure those rights. Therefore, this is an
example of false reasoning.
Choice a is incorrect. This statement is not
really an explanation of anything but rather an
opinion that in order to secure certain rights,
governments should derive their power from
the governed.
Choice b is incorrect. This statement does not
give any evidence based in actual fact. Instead, it
expresses an opinion that in order to secure cer-
tain rights, governments should derive their
power from the governed.
Choice c is incorrect. Factually, there is no
validity to the claim that the only way to secure
certain rights is through a government
controlled by the governed. Logically, there is
really no reason why this would be the only way
to secure those rights. Therefore, this is an
example of false reasoning, not valid reasoning.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
9. a. Based on the excerpt, the reader can deter-
mine that the woman is talking about her
death. The other choices do not fit in with
the context of the poem.
10. c. This is the best answer. The speaker tells
about her life in a matter-of-fact manner.
She does not seem to be in a state of wonder.
She certainly does not seem angry or partic-
ularly full of joy.
11. b. The line suggests that the speaker loved
nature. It does not suggest that she worked
in the fields or that she had a fine singing
voice. No other choice is supported by the
poem.
12. d. The poem recounts what occurred in their
marriage, both good and bad, so this is the
best answer. The other choices are not sup-
ported by the poem.
13. The correct order is:
1. Operation Iraqi Freedom is launched
2. coalition forces cross 350 miles of enemy
territory
3. Baghdad is liberated.
This order is correct due to the implied order of
events that Bush mentions in the excerpt. Oper-
ation Iraqi Freedom had to have been launched
before coalition forces could cross 350 miles of
enemy territory. The ultimate outcome of the
operation was the liberation of Baghdad; there-
fore, that is the last event in the progression.
14. Choice c is correct. The setting is described as
harsh and unforgiving. This technique is used
to heighten the sense of danger to the troops
fighting death squads, in order to persuade the
audience of its truth.
Choice a is incorrect. The choice of describing
an extreme climate with intense sandstorms in
this paragraph is not meant to express beauty.
This technique is used to heighten the sense of
danger to the troops fighting death squads, in
order to persuade the audience of its truth.
Choice b is incorrect. The choice of describing
an extreme climate with intense sandstorms in
this paragraph is not meant to express
contentment. This technique is used to heighten
the sense of danger to the troops fighting death
squads, in order to persuade the audience of its
truth.
Choice d is incorrect. The setting is described as
having intense sandstorms and pitched battles.
This technique is used to heighten the sense of
danger to the troops fighting death squads, in
order to persuade the audience of its truth.
15. Choice a is correct. In the paragraph, Jordan
states that the party is “an inclusive rather than
an exclusive party” and that “everybody” should
come.
Choice b is incorrect. This is what the third
paragraph is about, not the second paragraph.
Choice c is incorrect. Although it can be
inferred that Jordan approves of the party, this
is not the main point of the second paragraph.
Choice d is incorrect. This is the opposite of the
meaning of the second paragraph.
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16. Choice b is correct. Here, Jordan says that
everyone should be able to participate in
government. This is what the question is asking
for.
Choice a is incorrect. In this sentence, Jordan is
stating that the Democratic Party accepts all
people. It slightly fits the question, but there is a
better answer.
Choice c is incorrect. Jordan is speaking about
how the party evolves, not about how the
government represents all people.
Choice d is incorrect. This is a summary of all
the values that Jordan brings up and is too
broad to be just about the representation of
everyone.
17. Choice d is correct. Jordan says the party is for
all people and that everyone should be
represented in government. An open forum is
an inclusive event that allows people to speak
their mind.
Choice a is incorrect. Jordan explicitly states
that the Democratic Party is inclusive. This
would be an exclusive event, contrary to what
she states.
Choice b is incorrect. This is an example of
exclusivity, which is not in line with the values
she expresses.
Choice c is incorrect. Although this would be a
logical choice, this is a broader answer, and
there is a better choice. Jordan does not talk
about senate races in the passage.
18. Choice b is correct. Throughout her address,
Jordan compares American values to the party’s
values and claims that they are in line with each
other. This is the best summary.
Choice a is incorrect. This is a detail Jordan
includes, but it does not represent the main idea
of her address.
Choice c is incorrect. This is another detail
rather than a summary.
Choice d is incorrect. This cannot be correct
because choices a and c are wrong.
278
19. Choice d is correct. Jordan praises the
Democratic Party throughout her speech.
Choice a is incorrect. This phrase praises the
party.
Choice b is incorrect. Jordan is commending
the party.
Choice c is incorrect. Jordan is ascribing a
positive quality, innovation, to her party’s
character.
20. Choice d is correct. Jordan does not come right
out and say that the government should pass
laws to combat racism and gender
discrimination, which would block individual
achievement, but she stresses the word
“actively” in connection with the government’s
“obligation” to “remove those obstacles.” Pass-
ing laws is “active” on the part of the govern-
ment, and it is logical to infer that Jordan would
support laws to curb discrimination.
Choice a is incorrect. Jordan is asking why
people are drawn to her party, not calling on
government to enact anti-discrimination laws.
Choice b is incorrect. Jordan is discussing
political power in a democracy, not anti-
discrimination law.
Choice c is incorrect. Jordan is talking about the
beliefs of the Democratic Party, not about laws
the U.S. government should enact.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
21. Choice a is correct. In order to make the verb
agree with the plural subject, piles of books, the
verb needs to be in present tense and not end
in s.
Choice b is incorrect. In order to make the verb
agree with the plural subject, piles of books, the
verb needs to be in present tense and not end
in s (accumulate), not the present tense ending
in s (accumulates).
Choice c is incorrect. In order to make the verb
agree with the plural subject, piles of books, the
verb needs to be in present tense (accumulate),
not in the past tense (accumulated).
Choice d is incorrect. In order to make the verb
agree with the plural subject, piles of books, the
verb needs to be in present tense (accumulate),
not in the future tense (will accumulate).
22. Choice a is correct. Therefore is the correct
transition word to use when describing a cause-
and-effect relationship. And as the first word in
the sentence, the word is correctly capitalized.
Choice b is incorrect. However is a transition
word used to show contrast. Since the
accumulating piles of books cause the effect of
instituting a new policy, Therefore is the correct
transition word to use when describing a cause-
and-effect relationship.
Choice c is incorrect. Meanwhile denotes time.
Since the accumulating piles of books cause the
effect of instituting a new policy, Therefore is
the correct transition word to use when
describing a cause-and-effect relationship.
Choice d is incorrect. Instead is a transition
word used to show contrast. Since the accumu-
lating piles of books cause the effect of institut-
ing a new policy, Therefore is the correct
transition word to use when describing a cause-
and-effect relationship.
23. Choice c is correct. Because this word starts a
sentence, the first letter needs to be capitalized.
Choice a is incorrect. Because this word starts a
sentence, the first letter needs to be capitalized.
Choice b is incorrect. Because this word starts a
sentence, the first letter needs to be capitalized.
Also, please is being used as a command, and
the addition of an s at the end does not make
sense in this context.
Choice d is incorrect. Please is being used as a
command, and the addition of an s at the end
does not make sense in this context.
24. Choice b is correct. Of the possessive pronouns
listed, your in the second person is correct to
address the reader.
25. Choice d is correct. The closing of a letter or
memo ends with a comma, followed on the
next line by the letter writer’s name.
Choice a is incorrect. The closing of a letter or
memo ends with a comma, followed on the
next line by the letter writer’s name.
Choice b is incorrect. The closing of a letter or
memo ends with a comma, followed on the
next line by the letter writer’s name.
Choice c is incorrect. The closing of a letter or
memo ends with a comma, followed on the
next line by the letter writer’s name.
26. Choice b is correct. The author chose these
words to create a dark and foreboding tone.
27. The correct order is:
1. rides through the countryside
2. comes to the House of Usher
3. feels a sense of gloom
4. reins his horse near the house
This is based on the order of events recounted
by the narrator in the excerpt.
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28. Choice d is correct. Personification is giving
human characteristics to inanimate objects. The
phrase “vacant eye-like windows” gives the
human quality of vacant eyes to windows.
Choice a is incorrect. Alliteration is a repetition
of consonant sounds at the beginning of several
words in a row. An example would be “brightly
beautiful butterflies.”
Choice b is incorrect. Hyperbole is extreme
exaggeration, for example: “He walks louder
than an elephant.”
Choice c is incorrect. Onomatopoeia refers to
words that mimic the sounds they describe, for
example: “The fire hissed, crackled, and
popped.”
29. Choice b is correct. The word joy changes the
tone and meaning of the phrase from an
expression of unhappiness and gloom to a
positive and happy expression.
Choice a is incorrect. Melancholy preserves the
unhappy and negative tone of the original
phrase.
Choice c is incorrect. Sadness preserves the
unhappy and negative tone of the original
phrase.
Choice d is incorrect. Despair preserves the
unhappy and negative tone of the original
phrase.
30. Choice c is correct. Grant admits that he did
“not know how far this was necessary,” but
“deemed it necessary, at that time.” He feels
later that his decision was justified.
Choice a is incorrect. The passage opens with
the statement “things began to quiet down,” the
opposite of widespread violence.
Choice b is incorrect. The first words in the first
sentence report that the war was winding down.
Choice d is incorrect. Grant deemed the
garrisons necessary “at that time.”
280
31. The correct answer is the Civil War. It can be
inferred from the passage that the Civil War had
just concluded. The passage clearly describes
the “rebellion as was fought between the sec-
tions from 1861 to 1865.” There are many other
context clues. In addition, the excerpt is from
Grant’s memoir after 1865 and Sherman’s
March through the South.
32. Choice b is correct. Grant refers to Sherman’s
March as “magnificent” and as signifying “clos-
ing the war.”
Choice a is incorrect. Grant obviously approves
of the march.
Choice c is incorrect. Grant is sympathizing
with Sherman, not criticizing him.
Choice d is incorrect. The word change is
unrelated to Grant’s feelings about how “[t]heir
newspapers had given such an account of Con-
federate success.”
33. Choice c is correct. Grant is describing how the
Confederate view is false.
Choice a is incorrect. Grant is expressing
sympathy with the general consensus of feeling
after the war.
Choice b is incorrect. This sentence comments
on Sherman’s March, not Grant’s disagreement
with the Confederate viewpoint.
Choice d is incorrect. This sentence describes
how Grant assumed the Confederates felt upon
seeing Sherman, not Grant’s disagreement with
the Confederate viewpoint.
34. Choice a is correct. The correct order is C—the
Civil War, A—Sherman’s men were ordered not
to listen to him, D—Sherman’s March, then
B—the Confederates “saw the true state of
affairs.”
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
35. Choice b is correct. Grant is describing how
seeing the victorious soldiers’ march reminded
the South of what really happened.
Choice a is incorrect. The opposite is true for
the victorious army. For example, Grant
emphasizes how the march was a positive thing
because it set the Confederates straight on who
won.
Choice c is incorrect. There is no evidence in
the excerpt to support this conclusion.
Choice d is incorrect. The opposite is true for
the victorious army.
36. Choice a is correct. Paragraph 3 is mainly
about how scientists monitor earthquakes to
predict volcanic eruptions.
Choice b is incorrect. Although these terms are
defined in this paragraph, they are supporting
details.
Choice c is incorrect. The paragraph does not
explain how seismometers work.
Choice d is incorrect. Although the paragraph
mentions that volcanic gases force their way up
through underground channels, this is a small
detail and not the paragraph’s main idea.
37. Choice d is correct. This best summarizes the
main ideas of “Watching Volcanoes” by refer-
encing the scientists who watch volcanoes, the
ways they monitor volcanoes, and why their
work is important.
Choice a is incorrect. This is a good summary
of the section titled “Watching for Bulges in the
Sides of the Mountain,” but it does not summa-
rize the entire passage.
Choice b is incorrect. The article mentions that
vents are dangerous, not that scientists should
not visit them for study. This is a small detail
and not a summary of the complete article.
Choice c is incorrect. This answer refers to the
second article, “The 1992 Eruptions at Mt.
Spurr, Alaska,” not “Watching Volcanoes.”
38. Choice b is correct. “Watching Volcanoes” is a
first-person account of watching volcanoes
from the perspective of a volcano-watching sci-
entist. “The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr,
Alaska” is an objective report without any indi-
cation that the journalist is involved in volcano
science.
Choice a is incorrect. The opposite is true.
“Watching Volcanoes” discusses volcanoes in
general, and “The 1992 Eruptions at Mt. Spurr,
Alaska” focuses on the volcano at Mt. Spurr,
Alaska.
Choice c is incorrect. Both passages discuss
seismometers or seismographs, the instruments
that scientists use to measure earthquake
magnitude.
Choice d is incorrect. Although “Watching Vol-
canoes” is written from the first-person point of
view like a diary, it does not describe what the
writer did on a particular day as a diary does.
Although it is possible that “The 1992 Erup-
tions at Mt. Spurr, Alaska” was published in a
newspaper, there is no way of knowing this
based on the passage.
39. Choice c is correct. Having vertical axes to 100
incidents on both graphs dramatizes the
explosion of 90 more incidents than on any day
in the first graph occurring in November 1992
in the second graph.
Choice a is incorrect. Based on the dramatic rise
in events in November 1992 shown in the
second graph, the volcano was close to erupting,
and the threat was serious enough that
scientists warned, “a large eruption is likely
within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Choice b is incorrect. September is not charted
on either graph.
Choice d is incorrect. There is no evidence to
support this claim.
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40. The correct answer is paragraph 1. Paragraph
1 explicitly states that “a single man in posses-
sion of a good fortune must be in want of a
wife.”
41. Choice d is correct. The topic of marriage is the
focus of the introductory paragraphs as well as
the majority of the dialogue.
Choice a is incorrect. Travel is not the main
topic of the excerpt.
Choice b is incorrect. Divorce is not a topic in
the excerpt.
Choice c is incorrect. The Michaelmas holiday
is a minor topic in the excerpt, not the main
topic.
42. Choice b is correct. Mrs. Bennet is discussing
Bingley’s fortune—in other words, his income.
Choice a is incorrect. Mrs. Bennet is discussing
Bingley’s fortune—in other words, his income.
Choice c is incorrect. Mrs. Bennet is talking to
Mr. Bennet in this dialogue, and she would not
need to be telling her husband about his own
money in the third person. Furthermore, they
are just beginning to discuss Mr. Bingley when
this number amount is mentioned.
Choice d is incorrect. Mrs. Bennet is discussing
Bingley’s fortune—in other words, his income.
282
43. Choice b is correct. This whole excerpt is about
the supposition that wealthy men need to find
wives and the topic of marriage in general. Mrs.
Bennet spends most of the dialogue discussing
the merits of Mr. Bingley and how he would be
a good match for one of her daughters.
Choice a is incorrect. Mrs. Bennet is a married
woman, and every time she mentions marriage
it is in reference to her daughters.
Choice c is incorrect. This whole excerpt is
about the supposition that wealthy men need to
find wives and the topic of marriage in general.
Choice d is incorrect. The only time that Mrs.
Bennet mentions money is in reference to the
wealth of Mr. Bingley and how that makes him
a good match for one of her daughters. She
never implies that she wishes she had married
someone wealthier.
44. Choice c is correct. The noun possessing proce-
dures is singular.
Choice a is incorrect. Procedures is not being
used as a possessive noun in this context. There-
fore, an apostrophe is not needed.
Choice b is incorrect. There is one bookstore, so
the possessive noun is singular, not plural.
Choice d is incorrect. The singular noun book-
store possesses procedures, so an apostrophe
should be inserted between bookstore and s.
45. The correct answer is: At the beginning of a
shift, all staff must sign in through our com-
puter system. The first word in a sentence must
always be capitalized.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
46. Choice a is correct. This is a common
homonym error. Two is a number designation,
and in this context, the preposition to is
necessary instead. This is to reference what the
staff members are assigned to, not a number
designation.
Choice b is incorrect. This change would cause
a homonym error. The preposition for is needed
to denote an action that the staff members
should take. The homonym four denoting
number does not make sense in this context.
Choice c is incorrect. The procedure listed here
has two parts. The staff members need to look
for misplaced books and reshelf them. The
procedure does not imply that staff members
can choose to do one thing or the other.
Choice d is incorrect. Two is a number
designation, and in this context, the preposition
to is necessary instead. This is to reference what
the staff members are assigned to, not a number
designation.
47. Choice a is correct. Free and complimentary
mean essentially the same thing. And compli-
mentary adds an unnecessary wordiness to the
sentence and should be deleted.
Choice b is incorrect. In-store café is the object
of the preposition at and is needed in order to
make the prepositional phrase complete.
Choice c is incorrect. Free, complimentary, and
on the house all mean the same thing. Therefore,
the use of all three together causes unnecessary
wordiness.
Choice d is incorrect. Free and complimentary
mean essentially the same thing. And compli-
mentary adds an unnecessary wordiness to the
sentence and should be deleted.
48. Choice a is correct. In order for the subject staff
member to agree with the verb, forget must end
in an s. This is a common subject–verb agree-
ment rule.
Choice b is incorrect. Since he or she is
referencing a staff member, all the subjects in
the sentence need to be singular. The change to
they would change this number agreement,
making the pronoun plural that is referencing a
singular noun, which is incorrect.
Choice c is incorrect. In order for the subject he
or she to agree with the verb, consult should not
end in an s. This is a common subject-verb
agreement rule.
Choice d is incorrect. In order for the subject
staff member to agree with the verb, forget must
end in an s. This is a common subject-verb
agreement rule.
Part II
Your extended response will be scored based on three
traits, or elements:
n Trait 1: Creation of arguments and use of
evidence
n Trait 2: Development of ideas and organizational
structure
n Trait 3: Clarity and command of standard Eng-
lish conventions
Your essay will be scored on a 6-point scale—each
trait is worth up to 2 points. The final score is counted
twice, so the maximum number of points you can
earn is 12.
283
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –

Trait 1 tests your ability to write an essay that takes a
stance based on the information in the reading pas-
sages. To earn the highest score possible, you must
carefully read the information and express a clear
opinion on what you have read. You will be scored on
how well you use the information from the passages
to support your argument.
Your response will also be scored on how well
you analyze the author’s arguments in the passages.
To earn the highest score possible, you should discuss
whether or not you think the author is making a good
argument, and why or why not.
For your reference, here is a table that readers
will use when scoring your essay with a 2, 1, or 0.

TRAIT 1: CREATION OF ARGUMENTS AND USE OF EVIDENCE

2 • Makes text based argument s and establishes an intent connected to the prompt
• Presents specific and related evidence from source text s to support argument may include a few
unrelated pieces of evidence or unsupported claims
• naly es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s e.g., distinguishes
between supported and unsupported claims, makes valid inferences about underlying assumptions,
identifies false reasoning, evaluates the credibility of sources

1 • Makes an argument with some connection to the prompt

• Presents some evidence from source text s to support argument may include a mix of related and
unrelated evidence that may or may not cite the text
• Partly analy es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s ; may be lim
ited, oversimplified, or inaccurate

0 • May attempt to make an argument lacks an intent or connection to the prompt attempts
neither
• Presents little or no evidence from source text s sections of text may be copied from source
directly
• Minimally analy es the topic and or the strength of the argument within the source text s ; may
present no analysis, or little or no understanding of the given argument

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

284
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Trait 2 tests whether you respond to the writing
prompt with a well-structured essay. Support of
your thesis must come from evidence in the pas-
sages, as well as personal opinions and experiences
that build on your central idea. Your ideas must be
fully explained and include specific details. Your
essay should use words and phrases that allow your
details and ideas to flow naturally. Here is a table
that outlines what is involved in earning a score of 2,
1, or 0.

TRAIT 2: DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

2 • Contains ideas that are generally logical and well developed; most ideas are expanded upon
• Contains a logical sequence of ideas with clear connections between specific details and main
ideas
• Develops an organi ational structure that conveys the message and goal of the response; appropri
ately uses transitional devices
• Develops and maintains an appropriate style and tone that signal awareness of the audience and
purpose of the task
• ses appropriate words to express ideas clearly

1 • Contains ideas that are partially developed and or may demonstrate vague or simplistic logic; only
some ideas are expanded upon
• Contains some evidence of a sequence of ideas, but specific details may be unconnected to main
ideas
• Develops an organi ational structure that may partially group ideas or is partially effective at con
veying the message of the response; inconsistently uses transitional devices
• May inconsistently maintain an appropriate style and tone to signal an awareness of the audience
and purpose of the task
• May contain misused words and or words that do not express ideas clearly

0 • Contains ideas that are ineffectively or illogically developed, with little or no elaboration of main
ideas
• Contains an unclear or no sequence of ideas; specific details may be absent or unrelated to main
ideas
• Develops an ineffective or no organi ational structure; inappropriately uses transitional devices, or
does not use them at all
• ses an inappropriate style and tone that signal limited or no awareness of audience and purpose
• May contain many misused words, overuse of slang, and or express ideas in an unclear or repeti
tious manner

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

285
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –

Trait 3 tests how you create the sentences that make
up your essay. To earn a high score, you will need to
write sentences with variety—some short, some long,
some simple, some complex. You will also need to
prove that you have a good handle on standard
English, including correct word choice, grammar, and
sentence structure.
Here is a table that outlines what is involved in
attaining a score of 2, 1, or 0.

TRAIT 3: CLARITY AND COMMAND OF STANDARD ENGLISH CONVENTIONS

2 • Demonstrates generally correct sentence structure and an overall uency that enhances clarity with
regard to the following skills
Diverse sentence structure within a paragraph or paragraphs
Correct use of subordination, coordination, and parallelism
voidance of awkward sentence structures and wordiness
se of transitional words, con unctive adverbs, and other words that enhance clarity and logic
voidance of run on sentences, sentence fragments, and fused sentences
• Demonstrates proficient use of conventions with regard to the following skills
Sub ect verb agreement
Placement of modifiers and correct word order
Pronoun usage, including pronoun antecedent agreement, unclear pronoun references, and pro
noun case
requently confused words and homonyms, including contractions
se of apostrophes with possessive nouns
se of punctuation e.g., commas in a series or in appositives and other non essential elements,
end marks, and punctuation for clause separation
Capitali ation e.g., beginnings of sentences, proper nouns, and titles
• May contain some errors in mechanics and conventions that do not impede comprehension; overall
usage is at a level suitable for on demand draft writing

1 • Demonstrates inconsistent sentence structure; may contain some choppy, repetitive, awkward, or
run on sentences that may limit clarity; demonstrates inconsistent use of skills as listed under
Trait , Score Point
• Demonstrates inconsistent use of basic conventions with regard to skills as listed under Trait ,
Score Point
• May contain many errors in mechanics and conventions that occasionally impede comprehension;
overall usage is at the minimum level acceptable for on demand draft writing

0 • Demonstrates improper sentence structure to the extent that meaning may be unclear; demon
strates minimal use of skills as listed under Trait , Score Point
• Demonstrates minimal use of basic conventions with regard to skills as listed under Trait ,
Score Point
• Contains numerous significant errors in mechanics and conventions that impede comprehension;
overall usage is at an unacceptable level for on demand draft writing

• esponse is insufficient to show level of proficiency involving conventions and usage

on scorable • esponse consists only of text copied from the prompt or source text s
• esponse shows that test taker has not read the prompt or is entirely off topic
• esponse is incomprehensible
• esponse is not in nglish
• o r esponse has been attempted has been left blank

286
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
Sample Score 6 Essay
Stem cell research is a complicated topic to evaluate.
While it is noted as having a lot of potential with regard
to medical advancements, there are several elements of
it that can cause moral quandaries, such as the use of
human embryos in the research. At the same time, it is
providing valuable therapies for diseases such as leuke-
mia and could treat diseases like diabetes and heart dis-
ease. With that in mind and on reviewing the two
passages, I find that I must argue in favor of stem cell
research.
Since the passage against stem cell research makes
several valid points, especially questioning the source of
the stem cells used in the research, this is sure to inspire
many readers to question the morality of the supporting
argument. This concern does not actually have any evi-
dence behind it, saying that only human embryo stem
cells are being used, so it is difficult to know where this
concern came from. In addition, the particular evidence
noting that stem cell research itself is potentially harm-
ful has no scientific basis and was simply based on con-
cerns from the populace, as noted by Consumer
Reports, rather than actual research. At the end of the
third paragraph, this passage even questions whether
scientists could differentiate the cells properly to make
them become what is needed for that specific stem cell
therapy. Would the stem cells become actual brain cells
or would they just become a bunch of organ cells and
cause a tumorous growth? This is stated without any
evidence to back up the concern at all. While it is clear
that the reason stem cell research is interesting in any
form is that the cells themselves can be formed into any
other cell needed, this worry about differentiation seems
to be idle speculation rather than something that would
legitimately make this research impossible.
In contrast, the passage supporting stem cell
research is full of dates and specific examples. While the
against passage only notes an article from Consumer
Reports, this passage notes research done in the 1900s,
all the way through 2008. It points out some of the cur-
rent research and medical benefits of stem cell research
being used right now, including bone marrow transfu-
sions to treat leukemia and the generation of artificial
liver cells just in 2006. It also notes that the major con-
cern regarding the source of the stem cells should be less
of a concern due to a report from Stanford, a major
research institute, about how researchers acquire the
data of human embryo stem cells. It appears that not
every single researcher is getting a new set of embryo
stem cells to work off of. Instead, the information about
one set is shared among all of the researchers. Also, the
passage pointed to a 2008 article about medical
advancements using adult stem cells. If stem cell
research should be argued against, there needs to be
more thorough and specific evidence provided to sup-
port that argument.
It is clear that the arguments against stem cell
research are antiquated and have been addressed by the
medical community. Perhaps there is research regarding
why stem cell research should not be pursued, but it is
unspecified in these passages. Overall, while the sup-
porting passage addresses many of the same concerns as
the “against” passage, it is better organized and sup-
ported throughout with actual referenced research.
About this essay:
This essay has earned the maximum number of
points in each trait for a total of 6 points.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
This response evaluates the arguments in the source
text, develops an effective position supported by the
text, and fulfills the criteria to earn 2 points for
Trait 1.
This response establishes its stance at the con-
clusion of the first paragraph (I find that I must argue
in favor of stem cell research) and provides a summary
of support for that stance in the second and third
paragraphs.
In the second paragraph, the writer also weighs
the validity of the evidence in the “against” argument,
for example: “the particular evidence noting that stem
cell research itself is potentially harmful has no scien-
tific basis and was simply based on concerns from the
287
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
populace, as noted by Consumer Reports, rather than
actual research.”
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
This response is well developed and fulfills the crite-
ria to earn 2 points for Trait 2. It is well organized,
opens with a definitive stance, offers a discussion of
the pros and cons of stem cell research and the evi-
dence provided, and then provides a summary in
support of the chosen stance. The writer provides
multiple, specific examples and then elaborates on
them, using an appropriately formal tone throughout.
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
This response also fulfills the criteria for draft writing
and earns 2 points for Trait 3. Besides employing
sophisticated sentence structure (Since the passage
against stem cell research makes several valid points,
especially questioning the source of the stem cells used
in the research, this is sure to inspire many readers to
question the morality of the supporting argument. This
concern does not actually have any evidence behind it,
saying that only human embryo stem cells are being
used, so it is difficult to know where this concern came
from), this response uses clear transitions in its “com-
pare and contrast” construction (In contrast, the pas-
sage supporting stem cell research is full of dates and
specific examples).
In addition, the writer adheres to proper gram-
mar and usage.
Sample Score 4 Essay
It seems clear that we must not allow stem cell research.
It may have been around since the early 1900s, but that
does not outweigh the moral questions it raises.
I am against stem cell research for mainly the
same reasons stated in the passage. Since stem cell
research has been around, there is no clear answer
288
regarding where the human embryo stem cells come
from. This was not answered in the supporting passage.
What’s more, I also think the possibility that the
cells could form tumors and become cancerous, as noted
in the against passage, is pretty worrying. At the very
least, more education and research into the risks of stem
cells are very necessary.
Finally, while it may be true that the arguments
for stem cell research list many favorable benefits, and
those aspects of stem cell research seem intriguing, the
arguments against the research are better than the ones
for it. At the very least there needs to be more education
on the dangers.
About this essay:
This essay earned 1 point each for Trait 1 and Trait 2,
and 2 points for Trait 3.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
This response makes a simple argument, supports it
with some evidence from the source text, and offers a
partial analysis of the opposing argument, earning it
1 point for Trait 1.
The writer generates an argument against stem
cell research and makes a clear statement of her posi-
tion in the first paragraph (It seems clear that we must
not allow stem cell research), in the second paragraph
(I am against stem cell research for mainly the same
reasons), and final paragraph (the arguments against
the research are better than the ones for it).
The writer does cite some evidence from the
source text to support her position (Since stem cell
research has been around, there is no clear answer
regarding where the human embryo stem cells come
from). The writer offers a partial analysis of the issue
(At the very least, more education and research into the
risks of stem cells are very necessary and it may be true
that the arguments for stem cell research list many
favorable benefits); however, this analysis is simplistic
and limited.
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
In addition, in the second paragraph the writer
offers a partial evaluation of the validity of the “for”
arguments (there is no clear answer regarding where
the human embryo stem cells come from. This was not
answered in the supporting passage).
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
Although this response has a general organization
and focus, the supporting ideas are developed
unevenly; thus, it earns only 1 point in this trait.
This response establishes a discernible organiza-
tional structure by introducing stance and a compari-
son of the source text’s two positions (It seems clear
that we must not allow stem cell research. It may have
been around since the early 1900s, but that does not
outweigh the moral questions it raises).
The second and third paragraphs focus on the
troubling aspects of stem cell research, and the writer
offers a clear progression of ideas. Her main points
are clear but not sufficiently elaborated upon. Her
argument is based solely on what is offered in the
passage (I am against stem cell research for mainly the
same reasons stated in the passage).
The concluding paragraph offers a very basic
comparison of the “for” and “against” arguments, but
not much development is offered (while [the good]
aspects of stem cell research seem intriguing, the argu-
ments against the research are better than the ones for it).
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
This response earns the full 2 points for Trait 3. It
employs sophisticated sentence structure (Finally,
while it may be true that the arguments for stem cell
research list many favorable benefits, and those aspects
of stem cell research seem intriguing, the arguments
against the research are better than the ones for it) and
clear transitions (What’s more . . . Finally . . .).
In addition, the writer adheres to proper gram-
mar and usage.
Sample Score 0 Essay
Stem cell research is way too confusing and disturbing
for a lot of people. While these scientists think that list-
ing all of the accomplishemtns will mean that stem cell
research should continue it’s not clear at all whether
that’s true. If perhaps you had loukemia, then it would
be ok for it to continue.
Also we don’t know where the human embryo
stem cells come from also some of them could become
cancerous and that isn’t a good idea either I thought
Loukemia was some kind of cancer, that makes it even
more confusing. Also the differentiation of cells. If you
can’t get the right kind of cells for your therapy, then
those cells are useless and are a waste.
I think it’s a better idea to not have stem cell
research until we know more about what it could do.
There are too many factors that seem harmful or dan-
gerous in some way.
About this essay:
This essay earned 0 points in Trait 1, Trait 2, and
Trait 3.
Trait 1: Creation of Arguments and Use of Evidence
In general, this response provides a minimal sum-
mary of the source text and lacks insight and topic
analysis, earning this response 0 points for Trait 1.
The writer fails to summarize source texts in a
coherent and organized structure. Though this
response addresses the source material, the writer
fails to cite evidence to support any arguments and
does not take a firm stance until the final paragraph
(I think it’s a better idea to not have stem cell research
until we know more about what it could do). She also
seems to flip-flop on her stance (While these scientists
think that listing all of the accomplishemtns will mean
that stem cell research should continue it’s not clear at
all whether that’s true. If perhaps you had loukemia,
then it would be ok for it to continue).
289
 – G ED ® R L A P R A C T I C E T E S T 2 –
Trait 2: Development of Ideas and Organizational
Structure
Overall, the response is poorly developed, disorga-
nized, and lacks any clear progression of ideas, earn-
ing it 0 points for Trait 2.
The writer uses informal and colloquial lan-
guage (Stem cell research is way too confusing and dis-
turbing for a lot of people) and fails to demonstrate
awareness of audience and purpose. The response
lacks organizational structure and a clear progression
of ideas.
290
Trait 3: Clarity and Command of Standard English
Conventions
Many sentences lack sense and fluency and are incor-
rect and awkward. The writer misuses and confuses
words, punctuation, and usage as well as the conven-
tions of English in general, making the response
almost incomprehensible and earning it 0 points for
Trait 3.
This short response shows flawed sentence
structure, including run-on sentences (Also we don’t
know where the human embryo stem cells come from
also some of them could become cancerous and that
isn’t a good idea either I thought Loukemia was some
kind of cancer, that makes it even more confusing) and
fragments (Also the differentiation of cells).
–N O T E S –
NOTES